Gohar Blog # 15
“Pat Schroeder Reviews the Clinton Campaign” (the interview):
The interview with Pat Schroeder, the former democratic congresswoman from Colorado and the president of American Association of Publishers, touched upon the issues surrounding the current presidential elections and Hillary Clinton’s campaign. Senator Schroeder mentioned a few issues regarding the reactions of the American public to the possibility of having a female president that hits very close to home and reminds us that the fight for equal rights for women is far from over.
At first Sen. Schroeder mentions the American public’s attitude towards the race between democratic nominee, Sen. Barak Obama, and Sen. Hillary Clinton. Sen. Schroeder is not happy when she hears various media correspondents making sexist remarks and considers it an immature behavior that should not be broadcasted. She thinks that the majority of American public is ready to accept a female president, but there are forces behind the curtains that refuse to grow up and accept that women can be as effective politicians as men. Women are capable of taking tough challenges and perform under pressure as Sen. Schroeder points out the exceptional performance of Sen. Clinton during the various debates and campaign activities.
Sen. Schroeder thinks that America has to grow be accustomed to female leadership and equal rights for women because it is essential for having a truly democratic nation. She thinks the issue of sexism has to be battered some more in order to open the eyes of the American public.
“Gloria Steinem on Gender, Race in Election 2008”:
The interview with Gloria Steinem, the cofounder of the Woman’s Media Center and a veteran feminist, brings to life the long debated issue of race vs. gender. The upcoming presidential election is a unique time because there are two viable and worthy candidates on the democratic ballot, Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. Barak Obama. Sen. Hillary Clinton is a qualified female candidate and Sen. Barak Obama is an influential African American. The two candidates have divided the democratic crowd on the issues of race and gender and which one should be prioritized.
Gloria Steinem thinks that the perception of the issue by the American public is wrong and people are missing the point. She thinks that people’s feelings towards race or gender should not be divided but rather united. The public should not compare the issues and try to choose the better one, but they have to understand that the issue of race and gender go hand-in-hand. She mentions the mixed emotions when first black female was elected as an official in the U.S. government and how it changed the white man only perception of the U.S. politicians.
In my opinion we, as the public, have to view this election as a huge opportunity for the progress of democracy and equality in the United States of America. No matter who is the democratic nominee for this election, it has to be clear for us that both candidates are capable and worthy of bringing change to our system of government.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Monday, May 26, 2008
Gohar Blog # 14
Gohar Blog # 14
1. What were the main sources of feminism’s revival in the late 1960s and early 1970s?
The feminism movements experienced a revival and reinforcement during 1960s and 1970s. “Feminine Mystique” written by Betty Freidan marks the beginning of the second wave of feminism in the United States. The reinforcing events during the late 1960s and early 1970s were the civil right movements after assassinations of Martin Luther King and President Kennedy, anti-Vietnam War movements, and “Women’s Liberation” movement. Women who were involved in civil rights movements were gradually recognizing that many fundamental sources of inequality, such as gender role, were completely intact and needed immediate attention. Therefore soon many women rights organization turned their attention in social, political, and education issues involving gender roles and their effects in order to gain equality for women in all aspects of American life.
2. What insights does the protest at the Miss America pageant in 1968 give you about “women’s liberation?”
The 1968 Miss America pageant protest was organized by N.Y.R.W. (New York Radical Woman) organization, which was known because of its civil rights protests and anti-war protests. On one hand, the protest was a very successful step in “women’s liberation” movement because it drew the attention of the media on an unprecedented scale. The Miss America pageant was one of the most viewed programs on the television and protesting the pageant brought women’s liberation movement out of the shadows and presented it to the attention of the general public in a very effective way.
On the other hand protesting Miss America pageant presented conflicting views of the women’s civil right movement associations. The organizations were fighting to gain freedom for women and protesting some of the given rights by condemning the pageant and its activities. Such hypocritical moves by the women’s civil right organizations were sometimes more damaging than constructive to the general flow of the movement.
3. In your opinion, is the war of the sexes over (in the 21st century) or do women still have a long fight ahead of them? Why of why not?
Since the beginning of the feminism and women’s rights movements women have gained many valuable civil rights. The gained victories through the years have gained female gender a huge deal of respect and equality. Women are now (in the 21stcentury) more independent and have more control over their lives, but this does not mean that the war of sexes is over. Gaining various rights and liberties by women has made a huge impact on our society. As a result, our life style and social norms and values have been impacted as well therefore giving the battle of the sexes a new momentum. Women are now faced with various new and unexplored aspects of social and personal life. They feel the need to expand their liberties and rights to these new aspects, but the way to equality is in no way hassle-free and smooth. Therefore women’s rights organization needs to adapt to the life style and social changes in order to address all the concerns promptly and effectively.
4. What was Mary Tyler Moore able to do as a “liberated” woman in the 1970s, and how does Orenstein compare that to the “liberation” in Sex and the City? What values guide her judgment?
Orenstein views Mary Tyler Moore, as a liberated woman, who was able to leave her boyfriend, move to the big city, get a job, and make new friendships. All the gained liberations would help portray Mary as the independent woman of the 1970s according to the view of feminist movements. The liberated Mary would promise the viewers the notion of “living happily ever after” and “making it” in life. Orenstein accuses the HBO series; Sex and the City, to be portraying women heroines as cheap figurines who treat everything, from shoes to boyfriends, as accessories in their lives. She thinks that the series only tries to glamorize some aspects of women liberation and rights such as sexuality and materialism and this is not how liberated women supposed to be. Orenstein praises the liberated woman’s image and how she can be goal oriented and successful, but she does not think over emphasizing of a few liberties does justice in portraying the liberated woman.
5. Based on the excerpt you read from Rebecca Walker’s writings, would you expect Walker to agree with Orenstein?
I would expect Walker to agree with the views of Orenstein. Walker thinks that sex and bodily pleasures are undeniable parts of womanhood and women need to explore and experiment these acts in a safe environment in order to develop their sexual personality. Development of a woman’s sexuality is an important step in self growth and validation of self confidence that needs to be granted to each woman in order to have thinking, liberal, and self aware women in the society. Orenstein would agree that sexuality is an important aspect of womanhood and sexual liberty is one of the most crucial women’s rights therefore it has to be subject to responsible propaganda which is free of over exaggerations and misguidance.
6. How realistic do you think Sex and the City is? Has sexuality liberty gained enough ground for all young women to be a sexually active as the women in the program?
In my opinion Sex and the City is not a realistic image of today’s young women. There are many similar factors governing the lives of the new generation of women, such as gaining sexual experience and independence, but the possibility of having such characters in real life is slim to none. Even with the possibility of finding women, in our modern society, that govern their lives exactly like the characters of the Sex and the City, we will soon find out that they are a very small minority among all the women. We will be able to see that they also have other values in life which empowers them in their daily endeavors and makes them the women they are. These women will not have strict, two-dimensional, personalities, as portrayed in Sex and the City, who only think about sex and materialistic rewards. They will also cherish and value other women’s rights and liberties that helped them create their self identity and try to base their life decisions on their total womanhood rather than just an image of a flashy, liberal, and sexually irresponsible girl.
1. What were the main sources of feminism’s revival in the late 1960s and early 1970s?
The feminism movements experienced a revival and reinforcement during 1960s and 1970s. “Feminine Mystique” written by Betty Freidan marks the beginning of the second wave of feminism in the United States. The reinforcing events during the late 1960s and early 1970s were the civil right movements after assassinations of Martin Luther King and President Kennedy, anti-Vietnam War movements, and “Women’s Liberation” movement. Women who were involved in civil rights movements were gradually recognizing that many fundamental sources of inequality, such as gender role, were completely intact and needed immediate attention. Therefore soon many women rights organization turned their attention in social, political, and education issues involving gender roles and their effects in order to gain equality for women in all aspects of American life.
2. What insights does the protest at the Miss America pageant in 1968 give you about “women’s liberation?”
The 1968 Miss America pageant protest was organized by N.Y.R.W. (New York Radical Woman) organization, which was known because of its civil rights protests and anti-war protests. On one hand, the protest was a very successful step in “women’s liberation” movement because it drew the attention of the media on an unprecedented scale. The Miss America pageant was one of the most viewed programs on the television and protesting the pageant brought women’s liberation movement out of the shadows and presented it to the attention of the general public in a very effective way.
On the other hand protesting Miss America pageant presented conflicting views of the women’s civil right movement associations. The organizations were fighting to gain freedom for women and protesting some of the given rights by condemning the pageant and its activities. Such hypocritical moves by the women’s civil right organizations were sometimes more damaging than constructive to the general flow of the movement.
3. In your opinion, is the war of the sexes over (in the 21st century) or do women still have a long fight ahead of them? Why of why not?
Since the beginning of the feminism and women’s rights movements women have gained many valuable civil rights. The gained victories through the years have gained female gender a huge deal of respect and equality. Women are now (in the 21stcentury) more independent and have more control over their lives, but this does not mean that the war of sexes is over. Gaining various rights and liberties by women has made a huge impact on our society. As a result, our life style and social norms and values have been impacted as well therefore giving the battle of the sexes a new momentum. Women are now faced with various new and unexplored aspects of social and personal life. They feel the need to expand their liberties and rights to these new aspects, but the way to equality is in no way hassle-free and smooth. Therefore women’s rights organization needs to adapt to the life style and social changes in order to address all the concerns promptly and effectively.
4. What was Mary Tyler Moore able to do as a “liberated” woman in the 1970s, and how does Orenstein compare that to the “liberation” in Sex and the City? What values guide her judgment?
Orenstein views Mary Tyler Moore, as a liberated woman, who was able to leave her boyfriend, move to the big city, get a job, and make new friendships. All the gained liberations would help portray Mary as the independent woman of the 1970s according to the view of feminist movements. The liberated Mary would promise the viewers the notion of “living happily ever after” and “making it” in life. Orenstein accuses the HBO series; Sex and the City, to be portraying women heroines as cheap figurines who treat everything, from shoes to boyfriends, as accessories in their lives. She thinks that the series only tries to glamorize some aspects of women liberation and rights such as sexuality and materialism and this is not how liberated women supposed to be. Orenstein praises the liberated woman’s image and how she can be goal oriented and successful, but she does not think over emphasizing of a few liberties does justice in portraying the liberated woman.
5. Based on the excerpt you read from Rebecca Walker’s writings, would you expect Walker to agree with Orenstein?
I would expect Walker to agree with the views of Orenstein. Walker thinks that sex and bodily pleasures are undeniable parts of womanhood and women need to explore and experiment these acts in a safe environment in order to develop their sexual personality. Development of a woman’s sexuality is an important step in self growth and validation of self confidence that needs to be granted to each woman in order to have thinking, liberal, and self aware women in the society. Orenstein would agree that sexuality is an important aspect of womanhood and sexual liberty is one of the most crucial women’s rights therefore it has to be subject to responsible propaganda which is free of over exaggerations and misguidance.
6. How realistic do you think Sex and the City is? Has sexuality liberty gained enough ground for all young women to be a sexually active as the women in the program?
In my opinion Sex and the City is not a realistic image of today’s young women. There are many similar factors governing the lives of the new generation of women, such as gaining sexual experience and independence, but the possibility of having such characters in real life is slim to none. Even with the possibility of finding women, in our modern society, that govern their lives exactly like the characters of the Sex and the City, we will soon find out that they are a very small minority among all the women. We will be able to see that they also have other values in life which empowers them in their daily endeavors and makes them the women they are. These women will not have strict, two-dimensional, personalities, as portrayed in Sex and the City, who only think about sex and materialistic rewards. They will also cherish and value other women’s rights and liberties that helped them create their self identity and try to base their life decisions on their total womanhood rather than just an image of a flashy, liberal, and sexually irresponsible girl.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Gohar Blog #13
Gohar Blog # 13
1.What was the impact of the Cold War on American women?
The Cold War between the United Stated of America and the Soviet Union brought a sense of uncertainty and nervousness to political and social norms. Cold War like other war has strong affects on everybody’s life specially women. During World War II women did excellent job participating in all major aspects of the battles. They replaced men at home as the head of the family and the decision maker while men were in war. After war women were not appreciated for what they did during those very hard times. Many women lost their job to men returning from war, since the companies always preferred male workers over female workers. Men wanted women to return home to be housewives again like old days. Many women who could not tolerate this discrimination started to form their own organization demanding their rights. They already tested the outside work and they prove to be capable of executing their jobs to the full extent. Therefore it was time to fight for what they had accomplished by participating in women rights movements and organizations.
2.Why have historians needed to rethink and revise Betty Freidan’s interpretation of the “feminine mystique”?
In her book “feminine mystique”, Betty Freidan captured the post war role of
domestic expected from women and how many women were not satisfied to be completely confined by the role of just being a mother and a wife. She even criticized magazine which were trying to publicize this presumption of feminine role. Although her book was really successful, many critics pointed their finger at Freidan’s views accusing her of not representing other classes of women outside the prominent white women class. They argued that the value of working women has long been praised in other classes such as the African American and white middle class women. The critics also argue that she even failed to portray herself accurately, in her book, since she was also a working woman who never went back to be a victim of domestic role confinement. Over all, she mentioned points which hit home with many women hence the huge success of her book, but the historians needed to reexamine their views of her in order to represent all classes of post war working women.
3. Who were the activist women in the 1950s? What difficulties did they face, and why?
The activist women of 1950s were the ones who became heavily involved in the work force during the war. These groups of women were given jobs during the war which were mainly performed by men before the war. During the post war era and with the return of men to the work force, women found their jobs and their new civic role in great jeopardy. The employers were more willing to hire back the men than keep the women workers. As a consequence many unions were formed by working women such as the Women of the United Packinghouse Workers of America (UPWA), United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers (UE), National Council of Negro Women (NCNW), American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), League of Women Voters (LWV) and etc. These unions were formed to fight for what women achieved as equal member of society during war and sought to improve and keep the liberties granted to women in many aspects of the feminine movement. The unions helped push for women rights and liberties, decrease racial and class discrimination against women of color and lower classes. The activities of these unions paved the road for many other women activist groups during 1960s and later eras therefore making them a major contributor of women movements.
4. Why is the concept of a “bridge leader” helpful in understanding women in the civil rights movement?
The term “Bridge Leaders” was given to women participating in civil rights movements. Women of civil rights movements were not given official leadership roles since such roles were often assumed by men and women were overlooked for such positions. Men were given the leadership positions and they mediated the group communications between members, media and the government officials. Although women were not given any leadership positions, they had major participation in all aspects of the movement. Women actively participated in demonstrations, sit-ins, marches, and boycotts. Ella Baker, a well educated woman with a great character, was a perfect example of a bridge leader. After moving to New York, she actively participated in many organizations such as the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), and achieved to levels of leadership very quickly, but when offered positions she often denied them because she was aware of the atmosphere governing the courts and governmental agencies. Therefore she saw it more fit to have a male representative and work behind the curtain as a more effective asset.
1.What was the impact of the Cold War on American women?
The Cold War between the United Stated of America and the Soviet Union brought a sense of uncertainty and nervousness to political and social norms. Cold War like other war has strong affects on everybody’s life specially women. During World War II women did excellent job participating in all major aspects of the battles. They replaced men at home as the head of the family and the decision maker while men were in war. After war women were not appreciated for what they did during those very hard times. Many women lost their job to men returning from war, since the companies always preferred male workers over female workers. Men wanted women to return home to be housewives again like old days. Many women who could not tolerate this discrimination started to form their own organization demanding their rights. They already tested the outside work and they prove to be capable of executing their jobs to the full extent. Therefore it was time to fight for what they had accomplished by participating in women rights movements and organizations.
2.Why have historians needed to rethink and revise Betty Freidan’s interpretation of the “feminine mystique”?
In her book “feminine mystique”, Betty Freidan captured the post war role of
domestic expected from women and how many women were not satisfied to be completely confined by the role of just being a mother and a wife. She even criticized magazine which were trying to publicize this presumption of feminine role. Although her book was really successful, many critics pointed their finger at Freidan’s views accusing her of not representing other classes of women outside the prominent white women class. They argued that the value of working women has long been praised in other classes such as the African American and white middle class women. The critics also argue that she even failed to portray herself accurately, in her book, since she was also a working woman who never went back to be a victim of domestic role confinement. Over all, she mentioned points which hit home with many women hence the huge success of her book, but the historians needed to reexamine their views of her in order to represent all classes of post war working women.
3. Who were the activist women in the 1950s? What difficulties did they face, and why?
The activist women of 1950s were the ones who became heavily involved in the work force during the war. These groups of women were given jobs during the war which were mainly performed by men before the war. During the post war era and with the return of men to the work force, women found their jobs and their new civic role in great jeopardy. The employers were more willing to hire back the men than keep the women workers. As a consequence many unions were formed by working women such as the Women of the United Packinghouse Workers of America (UPWA), United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers (UE), National Council of Negro Women (NCNW), American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), League of Women Voters (LWV) and etc. These unions were formed to fight for what women achieved as equal member of society during war and sought to improve and keep the liberties granted to women in many aspects of the feminine movement. The unions helped push for women rights and liberties, decrease racial and class discrimination against women of color and lower classes. The activities of these unions paved the road for many other women activist groups during 1960s and later eras therefore making them a major contributor of women movements.
4. Why is the concept of a “bridge leader” helpful in understanding women in the civil rights movement?
The term “Bridge Leaders” was given to women participating in civil rights movements. Women of civil rights movements were not given official leadership roles since such roles were often assumed by men and women were overlooked for such positions. Men were given the leadership positions and they mediated the group communications between members, media and the government officials. Although women were not given any leadership positions, they had major participation in all aspects of the movement. Women actively participated in demonstrations, sit-ins, marches, and boycotts. Ella Baker, a well educated woman with a great character, was a perfect example of a bridge leader. After moving to New York, she actively participated in many organizations such as the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), and achieved to levels of leadership very quickly, but when offered positions she often denied them because she was aware of the atmosphere governing the courts and governmental agencies. Therefore she saw it more fit to have a male representative and work behind the curtain as a more effective asset.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Gohar Blog # 12
Gohar Blog # 12
1. To what extent did World War II challenge gender stereotypes for women? To what extent did it reinforce them?
The women’s gender stereotypes challenged throughout the war from start to the end. During the war most of the men left work and participated to the war. Because of that very high demand for workers appeared in the manufactories and all over the workplaces. Women with kind of new energy come to the work and they had shown the world that they could do the jobs even some times better than men and support their country. Women participated to the all kinds of easy and hard jobs such as welders, mechanics and even military. The Women’s Army Corps and Women’s Air force Service Pilots were recruited. They could not fight directly but they showed ability to stand for their country as well as men. Their gender stereotypes were reinforced in some ways included nurses, clerks, and telephone operators.
2. What were the most long-lasting results of WWII for women and their families?
The most long-lasting results of war were the ability to continue the life for people and work for manufactories because of women participation. WWII showed that women are valid contributors for the United State of America’s economy, industry and more important family life. During the war when many men were fighting for their country, many women fill their place and kept the economy in roll. Also large demand and participant of women were the new beginning for them to show their ability to manage any job and make the employers to think about new sources of employees.
Article
3. The article is about women’s work opportunities. According to the article there are not limited for their work during World War II. During war men were in the war and most manufactories work most be done by women. That was the best situation for women to show their ability and proofed how strong and smart they were.
4. This article does not have special audience. Everybody could be the audience of this article, but because of war situation I believed the main audience could be men. The men during the war wanted to know what happened for their job and workplace. The article showed women’s femininity just taken away temporary.
5. The work condition was not good enough for women. They did not enjoy working in kind of unsure and unclear situation. Because of war they must work very hard and they did not get the same pay as men did. Also they knew after the war most of them must quit the job and go back to home and do their routine duties.
6. In different ways, does the article suggest that the women retain their femininity during their outside work? They should do all home chores such as cooking, cleaning, shopping, and doing their personal needs. In general some of them did not enjoy working because they knew that period are temporary and they have to go back home as soon as war over.
7. According to the article when the war is over, some of the employed women will keep their job. Some of them will quit the job and get married. The most important experiences that the women got during the war, was the independency and freedom of working condition. They most of them will continue to work and try for better opportunities.
1. To what extent did World War II challenge gender stereotypes for women? To what extent did it reinforce them?
The women’s gender stereotypes challenged throughout the war from start to the end. During the war most of the men left work and participated to the war. Because of that very high demand for workers appeared in the manufactories and all over the workplaces. Women with kind of new energy come to the work and they had shown the world that they could do the jobs even some times better than men and support their country. Women participated to the all kinds of easy and hard jobs such as welders, mechanics and even military. The Women’s Army Corps and Women’s Air force Service Pilots were recruited. They could not fight directly but they showed ability to stand for their country as well as men. Their gender stereotypes were reinforced in some ways included nurses, clerks, and telephone operators.
2. What were the most long-lasting results of WWII for women and their families?
The most long-lasting results of war were the ability to continue the life for people and work for manufactories because of women participation. WWII showed that women are valid contributors for the United State of America’s economy, industry and more important family life. During the war when many men were fighting for their country, many women fill their place and kept the economy in roll. Also large demand and participant of women were the new beginning for them to show their ability to manage any job and make the employers to think about new sources of employees.
Article
3. The article is about women’s work opportunities. According to the article there are not limited for their work during World War II. During war men were in the war and most manufactories work most be done by women. That was the best situation for women to show their ability and proofed how strong and smart they were.
4. This article does not have special audience. Everybody could be the audience of this article, but because of war situation I believed the main audience could be men. The men during the war wanted to know what happened for their job and workplace. The article showed women’s femininity just taken away temporary.
5. The work condition was not good enough for women. They did not enjoy working in kind of unsure and unclear situation. Because of war they must work very hard and they did not get the same pay as men did. Also they knew after the war most of them must quit the job and go back to home and do their routine duties.
6. In different ways, does the article suggest that the women retain their femininity during their outside work? They should do all home chores such as cooking, cleaning, shopping, and doing their personal needs. In general some of them did not enjoy working because they knew that period are temporary and they have to go back home as soon as war over.
7. According to the article when the war is over, some of the employed women will keep their job. Some of them will quit the job and get married. The most important experiences that the women got during the war, was the independency and freedom of working condition. They most of them will continue to work and try for better opportunities.
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Gohar Blog #11
Gohar Blog # 11
1. Is it appropriate to speak about a “New Woman” in the 1920s? If so, what was new?
The question is “Is it appropriate to speak about a New Woman in the 1920s?” Of course we should talk about New Woman in the 1920s. The years from 1920 to 1945 were the decades of changes. The women had great roles in influencing the society. Their lifestyles were totally different from before. They were more independent and more educated. They had big influences in family finance and economic matter. The most important was extension of women traditional responsibilities. The growing numbers of working women were impressing. An electrical kitchen appliance makes life more pleasure for women to work in kitchen and affected the economy as consumers.
2. Why did women active in politics encounter so much difficulty accomplishing their agenda in the 1920s?
Women political activists in 1920s were the result of suffrage campaign, all groups were prepared to count women’s votes. Women also pursued their agendas such as, supporting child and woman’s labor laws, health, reform, legal rights, and so on. Both Democrats and Republicans parties recognized women’s issues. The main risen the some of these issues became more difficult, because of different goals and ideas, but very soon they realized “No women are free until all women are free”. The more serious problem was the decade’s conservative political climate. After all, like what the book said at page 489”it id not suppressing that the reform agenda of women’s groups reformed at the nation’s capitol, and it is impressive that women activists accomplished as much as the did on the local and state level.”
3. How does the image on page 499 represent some of the experiences of women during the Great Depression?
The Great Depression in 1930 had the most emotional and material harmful affect on working- class and farm families, because they didn’t had more stuff to sale and buy food or clothes. The Depression was much harder for single mothers’ life. The image shows the wonder women with hungers children asking for food. She looks fifty years old but in real she is just thirty-two years old. She probably lost her job and she is unsure for future. Her face shows how hard she lived. Her dress shows she is kind of nice and organized lady, even the clothes are very old.
4. In what ways was the Great Depression a “heavily gendered experience” (page 498)?
During the Great Depression many women were employed, but the media was mainly focused on how men lost their jobs and are now unemployed. The media still believed that the women’s place in the society is still at home. As time passed magazines started posting articles on how to save money. The ads were now more directed towards women, the recipes started using cheaper ingredients.
The depression also affected the marriages, many men were unemployed and this resulted in divorces, women would not marry or if they did, they would not want to have children because of the hard times.
1. Is it appropriate to speak about a “New Woman” in the 1920s? If so, what was new?
The question is “Is it appropriate to speak about a New Woman in the 1920s?” Of course we should talk about New Woman in the 1920s. The years from 1920 to 1945 were the decades of changes. The women had great roles in influencing the society. Their lifestyles were totally different from before. They were more independent and more educated. They had big influences in family finance and economic matter. The most important was extension of women traditional responsibilities. The growing numbers of working women were impressing. An electrical kitchen appliance makes life more pleasure for women to work in kitchen and affected the economy as consumers.
2. Why did women active in politics encounter so much difficulty accomplishing their agenda in the 1920s?
Women political activists in 1920s were the result of suffrage campaign, all groups were prepared to count women’s votes. Women also pursued their agendas such as, supporting child and woman’s labor laws, health, reform, legal rights, and so on. Both Democrats and Republicans parties recognized women’s issues. The main risen the some of these issues became more difficult, because of different goals and ideas, but very soon they realized “No women are free until all women are free”. The more serious problem was the decade’s conservative political climate. After all, like what the book said at page 489”it id not suppressing that the reform agenda of women’s groups reformed at the nation’s capitol, and it is impressive that women activists accomplished as much as the did on the local and state level.”
3. How does the image on page 499 represent some of the experiences of women during the Great Depression?
The Great Depression in 1930 had the most emotional and material harmful affect on working- class and farm families, because they didn’t had more stuff to sale and buy food or clothes. The Depression was much harder for single mothers’ life. The image shows the wonder women with hungers children asking for food. She looks fifty years old but in real she is just thirty-two years old. She probably lost her job and she is unsure for future. Her face shows how hard she lived. Her dress shows she is kind of nice and organized lady, even the clothes are very old.
4. In what ways was the Great Depression a “heavily gendered experience” (page 498)?
During the Great Depression many women were employed, but the media was mainly focused on how men lost their jobs and are now unemployed. The media still believed that the women’s place in the society is still at home. As time passed magazines started posting articles on how to save money. The ads were now more directed towards women, the recipes started using cheaper ingredients.
The depression also affected the marriages, many men were unemployed and this resulted in divorces, women would not marry or if they did, they would not want to have children because of the hard times.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Gohar Blog # 10
Gohar Blog # 10
1. How did African American women approach the issues of reform and suffrage?
The women suffrage movements during the twentieth century was a huge achievement by the way it connected working women from different classes (middle-class, high class, and college educated women) and created bridges among those classes in order for women to have an equal voice when voting for the matters of high importance. On the other hand this movement, for the most part, did not create any sense of equality for the African American women. They were denied memberships and the movement failed to condemn discriminations against African American women.
Despite getting the cold shoulder from various white suffrage groups, African American women pursued their rights of equality aggressively by asserting their political rights in gaining right to vote and equal ballots. These movements were more aggressive and widely persuaded in south and amongst southern African American woman suffrage groups.
2. What were the main differences between the emerging feminist movement and the suffrage movement?
The main goal of the suffrage movement was to gain the right to vote for women which was equal to the right of vote for men. This movement was primarily concerned with the political rights of women as a whole. They mostly addressed masses and their activities were mostly directed towards grabbing the attention of influential politicians as well as law makers. On the other hand, the feminist movement started when some members of suffrage groups started the new school of thought regarding the modern notion of womanhood. They started to distinguish themselves as women who cared more about the individual rights for women, such as birth-control rights, sexual freedom, and etc. The feminist groups consider themselves as suffragists as well. This is well understood from the sentence; “All feminists are suffragist, but not all suffragists are feminists”.
3. What were the various definitions of feminism according “Talks of Feminism….”?
In Cooper Union twelve speakers gave different ideas about feminism but in conclusion all were agreed “that the movement sought freedom for women”. Young said that feminism to her was “some fight, some, fate, and some fun,” Bjorkman said “those women shall have the same right as man to be different,” and…. After reading that document I understand that feminism is everything about women, their rights their education, their life, their freedom, their movements, and everything they dreamed of having for years and years. They want to be independent and do what they really want. Women can not sit back and do what they are expected to do and what is the tradition because the modern woman is an independent entity capable of thinking for herself and making the right decisions for herself.
4. What role does women’s economic independence play in feminist thought?
According to feministic views, women are entitled to have economic independence. Gaining economic independence might seem a simple task in the first glance, but it has many crucial points asserting pressure and creating obstacles for women to gain their economic independence. The simple understanding is that if women are allowed to hold jobs and generate money, they will gain economic independence. This is true if we do not consider the fact that there are many jobs in the market that have been known to be male dominated industries. Therefore for a woman who has the ability and the talent to do a male dominated trade, it is still very hard or impossible to hold a position in such industry. This is a threatening fact to the economic independence of women which sometimes will lead to slow progress of the process.
5. What is you own definition of feminism?
In my opinion feminism is the central idea and school of thought that is created to safeguard and promote women’s rights and independence. The notion of feminism is adopted by females who seek female equality in all aspects of life. Feministic views are directed towards creating a world in which male and female equally contribute to the advancement and progress of their society. In the ideal world both genders contribute to the society based on their unique talents and individualistic abilities and everybody’s contributions are treated equally and valued uniformly. Therefore males and females work to complement and not compete with each other in order to create a better world.
1. How did African American women approach the issues of reform and suffrage?
The women suffrage movements during the twentieth century was a huge achievement by the way it connected working women from different classes (middle-class, high class, and college educated women) and created bridges among those classes in order for women to have an equal voice when voting for the matters of high importance. On the other hand this movement, for the most part, did not create any sense of equality for the African American women. They were denied memberships and the movement failed to condemn discriminations against African American women.
Despite getting the cold shoulder from various white suffrage groups, African American women pursued their rights of equality aggressively by asserting their political rights in gaining right to vote and equal ballots. These movements were more aggressive and widely persuaded in south and amongst southern African American woman suffrage groups.
2. What were the main differences between the emerging feminist movement and the suffrage movement?
The main goal of the suffrage movement was to gain the right to vote for women which was equal to the right of vote for men. This movement was primarily concerned with the political rights of women as a whole. They mostly addressed masses and their activities were mostly directed towards grabbing the attention of influential politicians as well as law makers. On the other hand, the feminist movement started when some members of suffrage groups started the new school of thought regarding the modern notion of womanhood. They started to distinguish themselves as women who cared more about the individual rights for women, such as birth-control rights, sexual freedom, and etc. The feminist groups consider themselves as suffragists as well. This is well understood from the sentence; “All feminists are suffragist, but not all suffragists are feminists”.
3. What were the various definitions of feminism according “Talks of Feminism….”?
In Cooper Union twelve speakers gave different ideas about feminism but in conclusion all were agreed “that the movement sought freedom for women”. Young said that feminism to her was “some fight, some, fate, and some fun,” Bjorkman said “those women shall have the same right as man to be different,” and…. After reading that document I understand that feminism is everything about women, their rights their education, their life, their freedom, their movements, and everything they dreamed of having for years and years. They want to be independent and do what they really want. Women can not sit back and do what they are expected to do and what is the tradition because the modern woman is an independent entity capable of thinking for herself and making the right decisions for herself.
4. What role does women’s economic independence play in feminist thought?
According to feministic views, women are entitled to have economic independence. Gaining economic independence might seem a simple task in the first glance, but it has many crucial points asserting pressure and creating obstacles for women to gain their economic independence. The simple understanding is that if women are allowed to hold jobs and generate money, they will gain economic independence. This is true if we do not consider the fact that there are many jobs in the market that have been known to be male dominated industries. Therefore for a woman who has the ability and the talent to do a male dominated trade, it is still very hard or impossible to hold a position in such industry. This is a threatening fact to the economic independence of women which sometimes will lead to slow progress of the process.
5. What is you own definition of feminism?
In my opinion feminism is the central idea and school of thought that is created to safeguard and promote women’s rights and independence. The notion of feminism is adopted by females who seek female equality in all aspects of life. Feministic views are directed towards creating a world in which male and female equally contribute to the advancement and progress of their society. In the ideal world both genders contribute to the society based on their unique talents and individualistic abilities and everybody’s contributions are treated equally and valued uniformly. Therefore males and females work to complement and not compete with each other in order to create a better world.
Monday, April 21, 2008
gohar Blog # 9
Gohar Blog# 9
1)Women’s experiences of immigration in late nineteenth century in less than half century, 27 million immigrants came to the United States of America. They came from Italy, Germany, Asia, and Mexico. They were ethnically and religiously diverse people. The gender were complex, immigrates women came for many reason, such as shared with men, economic forces, and better opportunity. One other reason was politics, for instance Jeans came to escape growing anti-Semitism. Young women came to be independence and choose their men by own. Some women migrated because of poverty, personal and painful reasons. Age and marital status made different experience for immigrant women. The similarity between men and women were the reasons for became the immigrant, but they had so many differences. They got different wages, different living style, and most of immigrant men after a while returned to their country because of their family, but women were on different situation.
2)Immigrate women were active at all the categories of their life. They worked very hard to have the possibility to vote. They were active to earn better wages. All the time they were fighting for what they believed. They were involved at many protests .Even though, all the women were making a movement for a different cause, but after all they all had the same purpose in making a better life and equilibrium their rights with the rights of men. Women joined the industrial protest because they believed that they had to earn the same amount of wage as men workers, because women were also doing the same activities as men were doing.
3)Addams believed that no matter how the society and the people try to cover up the facts and differences made among the rich and poor society, there will still not be equilibrium among people. Women of different background, who had grown up in different parts of the country had different characteristics. Some of the women from poor families were not very educated, and so vise versa about the rich women. Although, in reality the poor did not really like the rich, because they were the ones with lands and all the wealth, but poor always respect the rich.
4)Adams’s position as settlement house volunteer made her analyze many theories about the structure of the poor and rich societies. She mentioned being slightly depressed after working with the charitable, but that was not for long until she realized that education would make the poor and rich understand the concept of living among poor than just blaming them as an individual for being lazy or useless. The bottom line is having education, just like she was a college graduate and had more education than so many other women at the time made her more knowledgeable about the facts and the structure of the society.
1)Women’s experiences of immigration in late nineteenth century in less than half century, 27 million immigrants came to the United States of America. They came from Italy, Germany, Asia, and Mexico. They were ethnically and religiously diverse people. The gender were complex, immigrates women came for many reason, such as shared with men, economic forces, and better opportunity. One other reason was politics, for instance Jeans came to escape growing anti-Semitism. Young women came to be independence and choose their men by own. Some women migrated because of poverty, personal and painful reasons. Age and marital status made different experience for immigrant women. The similarity between men and women were the reasons for became the immigrant, but they had so many differences. They got different wages, different living style, and most of immigrant men after a while returned to their country because of their family, but women were on different situation.
2)Immigrate women were active at all the categories of their life. They worked very hard to have the possibility to vote. They were active to earn better wages. All the time they were fighting for what they believed. They were involved at many protests .Even though, all the women were making a movement for a different cause, but after all they all had the same purpose in making a better life and equilibrium their rights with the rights of men. Women joined the industrial protest because they believed that they had to earn the same amount of wage as men workers, because women were also doing the same activities as men were doing.
3)Addams believed that no matter how the society and the people try to cover up the facts and differences made among the rich and poor society, there will still not be equilibrium among people. Women of different background, who had grown up in different parts of the country had different characteristics. Some of the women from poor families were not very educated, and so vise versa about the rich women. Although, in reality the poor did not really like the rich, because they were the ones with lands and all the wealth, but poor always respect the rich.
4)Adams’s position as settlement house volunteer made her analyze many theories about the structure of the poor and rich societies. She mentioned being slightly depressed after working with the charitable, but that was not for long until she realized that education would make the poor and rich understand the concept of living among poor than just blaming them as an individual for being lazy or useless. The bottom line is having education, just like she was a college graduate and had more education than so many other women at the time made her more knowledgeable about the facts and the structure of the society.
Monday, April 7, 2008
Gohare Blog # 8
Gohar Blog # 8
Textbook: Chapter 5 (pp. 283-305)What were the most significant developments in women’s wage labor in the late nineteenth century? How did they affect working-class, middle-class, and elite women?
1. Women wage’s labor increased in the late nineteen century. They start leaving domestic service for new industrial factories. Large numbers of working-class women were looking for job in North. They were looking for new opportunities and they don’t have to be stick for private owner anymore. The middle-class women were living in more convenient situation. The elite women would have a lot more opportunities such as servants and so on. At the end look like the working-class women were producer and middle-class and elite women were consumer and kind of balance were between them.
Textbook: Chapter 6What is the importance of the images on page 345 for understanding Native American women’s experience during the era of western consolidation?
2. Images on page 345 are very interesting and have many facts inside. It shows we can not change the inside of people by changing outside. In first image they are with their traditional clothes and hair style, but in second image with new style. We can see the sadness in their eyes. It looks they have so many things that make them sad. They can not be happy just with new dress.
Source InterpretationTextbook document (Chapter 5 pp. 311-316) – “The Woman Who Toils,” and “The Woman Who Toils: Being the Experiences of Two Ladies as Factory Girls”What different sorts of women does Bessie Van Vorst meet in the factory, and how and why do their responses to their work vary?
3. There are different kinds of people all over the world and the same are working women. Most of them are working to support their family economic needs. Some of them have much more wealthy family to support them and they are there to learn something, have fun or spend extra hours. There are many widows who are the only one should work and take care of her kids. Van Vorst is there to support her two sisters and help her mother to get enough food for family.
Why does Van Vorst conclude that working women are passive in accepting their working conditions and unwilling to stand up for themselves in the way of working men? Do you think she is right?
4. I thing she is right. It will take time to women really get their place. They are not really stand for themselves, like I said in part 3 all of them do not have responsibility and they don’t care as much as men do. They are agreeing with everything who got and that is not the right way.
Textbook: Chapter 5 (pp. 283-305)What were the most significant developments in women’s wage labor in the late nineteenth century? How did they affect working-class, middle-class, and elite women?
1. Women wage’s labor increased in the late nineteen century. They start leaving domestic service for new industrial factories. Large numbers of working-class women were looking for job in North. They were looking for new opportunities and they don’t have to be stick for private owner anymore. The middle-class women were living in more convenient situation. The elite women would have a lot more opportunities such as servants and so on. At the end look like the working-class women were producer and middle-class and elite women were consumer and kind of balance were between them.
Textbook: Chapter 6What is the importance of the images on page 345 for understanding Native American women’s experience during the era of western consolidation?
2. Images on page 345 are very interesting and have many facts inside. It shows we can not change the inside of people by changing outside. In first image they are with their traditional clothes and hair style, but in second image with new style. We can see the sadness in their eyes. It looks they have so many things that make them sad. They can not be happy just with new dress.
Source InterpretationTextbook document (Chapter 5 pp. 311-316) – “The Woman Who Toils,” and “The Woman Who Toils: Being the Experiences of Two Ladies as Factory Girls”What different sorts of women does Bessie Van Vorst meet in the factory, and how and why do their responses to their work vary?
3. There are different kinds of people all over the world and the same are working women. Most of them are working to support their family economic needs. Some of them have much more wealthy family to support them and they are there to learn something, have fun or spend extra hours. There are many widows who are the only one should work and take care of her kids. Van Vorst is there to support her two sisters and help her mother to get enough food for family.
Why does Van Vorst conclude that working women are passive in accepting their working conditions and unwilling to stand up for themselves in the way of working men? Do you think she is right?
4. I thing she is right. It will take time to women really get their place. They are not really stand for themselves, like I said in part 3 all of them do not have responsibility and they don’t care as much as men do. They are agreeing with everything who got and that is not the right way.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Gohar Blog #7
GOHAR BLOG #7
1. The years before and during the civil war were pretty harsh for African American women, because they still had to work for their owners. There were always arguments between the white women and their slaves. During these times white women were very dependent on black women, because they did not do any of the work. Soon the Women Suffrage Movement started taking place and this did not help the African American women, because they still did not have any freedom and they wanted to be free and be able to raise their families and children on their own.
2. The “New South” had a great impact on women, both on White and the African American. The White women lost the most, because their slaves were not there anymore to the chores and do their jobs. The slave owners were also hurt financially, because the slaves were assets for them, but now that they were free and not working for them, it was a great loss, because they could not sell or buy slaves. This pushed the white women to start working and earning their money. At the same time African Americans were glad to be free, but it was difficult for them also. It was hard for them, because they were separated from their families, children and husbands. During the times away from each other, some of the husbands were remarried; the children could not recognize their parents. This was hard for the African American women, but at the same time they had been granted the ability to own their own lands and work for themselves and their children, instead of their old owners.
3. Thomas Moss was shot to death, because it was believed that he had raped white women. Ida Wells did not believe this and knew that he wasn’t killed because of the rape; he was killed because he and two other black men were operating a grocery store for black people across from a white grocery store. White men wanted to get rid of black people who were making money and were able to support their families. Since they could not do anything about it, they started to accuse successful black people for rape and they said, “black men were sexual predators” (Wells 306). This was not true in all cases, sometimes, black men and white women were sexually involved by choice and they were not rapes, but white men did not care about that and wanted to keep their supremacy.Wells was trying to challenge the fact that black men were not supposed to be blamed for the rape of white women and children. The truth was that in some cases there were mutual attraction between the white women and black men, but white men ignored this and therefore they always blamed the black men for the rapes.
1. The years before and during the civil war were pretty harsh for African American women, because they still had to work for their owners. There were always arguments between the white women and their slaves. During these times white women were very dependent on black women, because they did not do any of the work. Soon the Women Suffrage Movement started taking place and this did not help the African American women, because they still did not have any freedom and they wanted to be free and be able to raise their families and children on their own.
2. The “New South” had a great impact on women, both on White and the African American. The White women lost the most, because their slaves were not there anymore to the chores and do their jobs. The slave owners were also hurt financially, because the slaves were assets for them, but now that they were free and not working for them, it was a great loss, because they could not sell or buy slaves. This pushed the white women to start working and earning their money. At the same time African Americans were glad to be free, but it was difficult for them also. It was hard for them, because they were separated from their families, children and husbands. During the times away from each other, some of the husbands were remarried; the children could not recognize their parents. This was hard for the African American women, but at the same time they had been granted the ability to own their own lands and work for themselves and their children, instead of their old owners.
3. Thomas Moss was shot to death, because it was believed that he had raped white women. Ida Wells did not believe this and knew that he wasn’t killed because of the rape; he was killed because he and two other black men were operating a grocery store for black people across from a white grocery store. White men wanted to get rid of black people who were making money and were able to support their families. Since they could not do anything about it, they started to accuse successful black people for rape and they said, “black men were sexual predators” (Wells 306). This was not true in all cases, sometimes, black men and white women were sexually involved by choice and they were not rapes, but white men did not care about that and wanted to keep their supremacy.Wells was trying to challenge the fact that black men were not supposed to be blamed for the rape of white women and children. The truth was that in some cases there were mutual attraction between the white women and black men, but white men ignored this and therefore they always blamed the black men for the rapes.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Blog #6
Gohar , Blog No. 6
1. What were the different kinds of experiences that particular groups of women had as the United States expanded west to the Pacific?
After the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo the U.S. took over about 1.5 million square miles of land form Mexico. This was a major event which further fueled the "Manifest Destiny" ideology, which was the expansion of the newly formed country to west towards the Pacific. During this period, thousands of American men and women, who were eager to own land rushed towards east.
The vast movement of people to west caused panic and disorder in the cultural structure, especially in women’s role, of the western natives. In the west under the reign of Mexican government native Indian women had found themselves as the servants for Mexican women who owned the land. Upon the lost in the War of 1848, Mexican families lost their rights as land owner’s and white women who moved in took over as the new masters. This dilemma created a chaos. Mexican women in most part now found themselves servants to white women and the native Indian women in a sense got liberated, but still hold a position at the bottom of social hierarchy. The role of women of different backgrounds was switched in many levels, but women continued to hold their main role of motherhood and raising children. They help their men during the move with the hope of getting established and owning a piece of land.
2. What kind of historical developments brought American women into reform activities in the antebellum years?
The antebellum reformers were primarily form New York and other northern states. The southern states were almost free of reformers and activists during this era. The antebellum reforms for women had deep impacts on many stages. The reformers and women’s right activists were actively seeking change in religious, moral (sexuality), economic, and health fronts. As early settlers Narcissa Whitman, Eliza Spaulding and women like them took active part in introducing Christianity, alongside their husbands, amongst the Native American tribes. Economic expansion and industrialization brought some independence for women, but at the same time it created the atmosphere for increased casual sexuality. Therefore the antebellum activists started to create various moral support groups which intended to educate and save women form inappropriate social conduct. These groups also were advocates for women’s health, since they felt that women needed special attention as the child bearers and raisers of the family.
Source Interpretation:
1. Maria responds to the strangers she encounters with both fear and curiosity. About what is she curious? What is the source of her fear and how does Maria exhibit or conceal her reaction?
Maria was curious in regards to the span of her domestic authority. She was confused in the beginning when she was asked to give refuge to Chavez. She was not able to get a hold of her husband or her brothers to consult them regarding the problem, so she took the matter in hand and decided to do the right thing according to her religious trainings and beliefs. She was also fearful of three things. First, she did not want to do something that her husband would disapprove, but that fear was gone when she could not access her husband for advice. Second, she was fearful of getting caught as a traitor to Yankees because of harboring a fugitive. Finally, she had the fear of GOD. She wanted to do the right thing and save a human life as GOD wanted her, but also she did not want to lie to the soldiers about hiding a fugitive. The fear of lying was resolved when the soldier did not ask her any questions to force her to lie, which made her pleased.
2. What is the source of strength that Maria draws? How does the absence of men affect the way she acts?
When Maria faced the challenge, she first acted in a capacity of a wife and a women with no decision making power. She went to seek advice from her brothers and husband. The absence of men made her realize that she was the authority in the house and her decision would be as valid and executable as her husband’s. Therefore, she found the strength to doing the right thing (religiously and morally) as the authoritative figure of the household in the absence of her husband. Her determination to do the right thing, in the midst of the problem, made her strong enough to overcome her fears and act as the decision-maker wife and the women in charge.
1. What were the different kinds of experiences that particular groups of women had as the United States expanded west to the Pacific?
After the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo the U.S. took over about 1.5 million square miles of land form Mexico. This was a major event which further fueled the "Manifest Destiny" ideology, which was the expansion of the newly formed country to west towards the Pacific. During this period, thousands of American men and women, who were eager to own land rushed towards east.
The vast movement of people to west caused panic and disorder in the cultural structure, especially in women’s role, of the western natives. In the west under the reign of Mexican government native Indian women had found themselves as the servants for Mexican women who owned the land. Upon the lost in the War of 1848, Mexican families lost their rights as land owner’s and white women who moved in took over as the new masters. This dilemma created a chaos. Mexican women in most part now found themselves servants to white women and the native Indian women in a sense got liberated, but still hold a position at the bottom of social hierarchy. The role of women of different backgrounds was switched in many levels, but women continued to hold their main role of motherhood and raising children. They help their men during the move with the hope of getting established and owning a piece of land.
2. What kind of historical developments brought American women into reform activities in the antebellum years?
The antebellum reformers were primarily form New York and other northern states. The southern states were almost free of reformers and activists during this era. The antebellum reforms for women had deep impacts on many stages. The reformers and women’s right activists were actively seeking change in religious, moral (sexuality), economic, and health fronts. As early settlers Narcissa Whitman, Eliza Spaulding and women like them took active part in introducing Christianity, alongside their husbands, amongst the Native American tribes. Economic expansion and industrialization brought some independence for women, but at the same time it created the atmosphere for increased casual sexuality. Therefore the antebellum activists started to create various moral support groups which intended to educate and save women form inappropriate social conduct. These groups also were advocates for women’s health, since they felt that women needed special attention as the child bearers and raisers of the family.
Source Interpretation:
1. Maria responds to the strangers she encounters with both fear and curiosity. About what is she curious? What is the source of her fear and how does Maria exhibit or conceal her reaction?
Maria was curious in regards to the span of her domestic authority. She was confused in the beginning when she was asked to give refuge to Chavez. She was not able to get a hold of her husband or her brothers to consult them regarding the problem, so she took the matter in hand and decided to do the right thing according to her religious trainings and beliefs. She was also fearful of three things. First, she did not want to do something that her husband would disapprove, but that fear was gone when she could not access her husband for advice. Second, she was fearful of getting caught as a traitor to Yankees because of harboring a fugitive. Finally, she had the fear of GOD. She wanted to do the right thing and save a human life as GOD wanted her, but also she did not want to lie to the soldiers about hiding a fugitive. The fear of lying was resolved when the soldier did not ask her any questions to force her to lie, which made her pleased.
2. What is the source of strength that Maria draws? How does the absence of men affect the way she acts?
When Maria faced the challenge, she first acted in a capacity of a wife and a women with no decision making power. She went to seek advice from her brothers and husband. The absence of men made her realize that she was the authority in the house and her decision would be as valid and executable as her husband’s. Therefore, she found the strength to doing the right thing (religiously and morally) as the authoritative figure of the household in the absence of her husband. Her determination to do the right thing, in the midst of the problem, made her strong enough to overcome her fears and act as the decision-maker wife and the women in charge.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Gohare Blog #5
Gohar Blog #5
1. Slaves are people who are owned and controlled by others in a way that they have almost no rights or freedom of movement. Life for slave women was much more difficult than men. They worked hard at home and farm. Their owners sexually harassed them. Slaves were not permitted to bind marriage contracts. The slave man couldn’t visit his wife or children. Slave’s baby was born as a slave and worth a great deal for the owner. The bottom line was the slave’s status as property. Slave mothers had difficult task of teaching their children to survive their owner’s power and at the same time to know their own worth as human beings. Both white and black women suffered in the slave system, slave women knew they didn’t get any emotional attention from their owner. White southern women were premised on the forced labor and sexual oppression of her slaves. Slavery turned black and white women against each other.
2. There are so many stories about slave women and Harriet Jacobs’s real life was one of them. She was born at 1813 in Edenton, North Carolina. She had a happy childhood. Her mom’s owner, a kind woman, thought her how to read. At age of 12 she moved to the new owner’s house. Dr. James Norcom. This man was the cause of a great deal of misery. He sexually abused her. She becomes friend with a caring white man and she asked of her owner to marry him, but he didn’t let her go. She hides in neighbor’s home and from there she could see her children. Harriet made her escape to freedom. She traveled to different states and became involved with the abolitionists associated with Frederick Douglass’s paper. During war she raised money for black refugees. After war she worked to improve the conditions of the recently freed slaves.
3. In these two stories we read about all the troubles that the slaves had to go through in order to reach their destination and their goal in life. In Poly Shine, the slave is willing to not sleep at nights so he can be with his girlfriend and when he finds out that he is sold and is going to another state, he begs his owner to let him see his girlfriend once a week and the rest of the week he would be willing to work full time. In Running a Thousand Miles for Freedom, both William and Ellen are willing to risk their lives for the love that they have for each other. William mentions in a part of the story that he was ready to turn around and run, but then his fate in love and God made him stay and go through with their plans.
4. I think memory plays a huge role in both stories, because they were written a long time after slavery was over. In Running a Thousand Miles for Freedom, William is willing to wait 7 years before publishing his story, because he wanted to learn how to read and write so he could be able to write their story. This shows that how great his memory had to be in order for him to remember all the details and how everything happened. Polly Shine was almost ninety years old when her story was published and she was able to remember all the details of the slave who was punished for going and visiting his girlfriend. I think that when something happens to a person that changes their life, it is very difficult to erase that incident from their memory and would always be on their mind.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Gohar Blog #4
Textbook
1. The main idea of “True Womanhood” was that men and women were totally different from each other and each one had their own roll in society and economy. Men were the working force, meaning they were the ones who were making the political decisions, working in factories and earning money. While women were supposed to stay home, cook, take care of the children and manage the family. This resulted in middle class formation, meaning that the white women would stay home, cook and take care of the children while the white men were working and supporting the family financially.
2. The Lowell mill girls were the first to introduce women to the work force in 1820’s. Working in factories now meant that women are contributing to the economy and are part of it now. Because most of the girls working in the factories where unmarried they were seen as though they were more independent. Workingwomen were earning money while working at the factories, but they were earning less than men and this caused them to strike against unjust wages and this resulted in women being more politically active.
Source Interpretation
1. Sanger interviewed many prostitutes who were either caught or had dangerous diseases. Many of the records were burnt, but he still had some statistics. According to him at the case of prostitution, women were the victims. When a man leaves his wife and comes to a prostitute, he is the one committing a crime and that makes the prostitute the victim. He also identified some cause that resulted women to turn to prostitution, some of the causes were “ deserted, seduced, driven by destitution, or forced into prostitution by some other extraordinary event over which they had no control (170)”
2. Women were not getting the same wages as men when they started working and this was making it hard for them to support themselves and be able to have a good life. Many women became prostitutes because they were forced to escape the current situation that they were in. Sanger mentioned many causes of why these women who became prostitute did so. “Inclination, destitution, seduction, drinking, easier lifestyle, persuasion by other prostitutes and more (170” these were some of the main factors that caused women to turn to prostitution. I think that one of the biggest factors was that they wanted to have a better life and be able to support themselves and that’s why they became prostitutes.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Gohar Blogg #3
1. During the revolution and the Civil War, the traditional views regarding women’s role in society faced various challenges. These challenges were imbedded in different aspects of colonial women’s life. On the economic aspect women, especially in northern colonies, participated in mass production of homespun fabrics in order to become independent of British imported fabrics. Although the women were the sole producers of these fabrics and they acted as productive members of the economy, their names were never mentioned as the responsible parties for this revolutionary act. Therefore this huge economic contribution was often credited to the colonial family headed by a male and not directly to the women as the producers. During the civil war women’s role was also shifted dramatically from the traditional responsibilities. Their role as the maintainer of the household was challenged when they acted as spies for northern forces, soldiers on the battlefields, and nurses attending the injured. Their husbands often shadowed these women’s heroic actions and fathers influence and they were not given the direct credit as major participants and contributors in the Civil War.
2. In late eighteen century, most women were classified with their actions, for example female slaves tried to protect their children, Native Americans took care of the villages while their husbands were at war, poor women cooked for the soldiers and the elite women sewed shirts for George Washington’s army. Although eighteenth-century was mainly make diplomacy, some women exercised some choice in the revolutionary era. They acted politically when they flee from slavery or participated in their deliberations or when they chose to be loyalists or patriots. Also their actions caused the middle-class and elite women be more knowledgeable not only in politics, but also in informal spheres of public spaces like churches.
3. Hardship and poverty were the legacies for many women after the war, but there were always constrained by prevailing assumptions about women’s marginal role in public life. We do not have much info on how the Revolution affected the lives of Native America women, because there is little evidence about these women. Most of the African American women fled to British to achieve their freedom and that was the most important legacy for them. The legacy for white women was mainly hardship and poverty, because most of them were the widows of white army men.
4. Rush and Murray said that education for women would result in them being more independent, be more self-reliant and even be self-supporting. Murray said she wants her daughters to be thought “industry and order” and also she said that independence should be within their reach unlike reformers like Rush who saw women’s education as a tool for promoting the family and public goods. Proper education for women would be more extensive and useful in domestic life. This was said because this would make the children more aware and they would discover that both their parents are educated and knowledgeable.
5. After the revolution many activists started saying that white women of the society must more educated. Their idea was that all citizens needed to be more educated in order for them to be able to contribute to the general public. For example Benjamin Rush supported women’s education, but he wanted to limit them to basic bookkeeping, arithmetic. Supporters of women’s education argued that mothers needed to be well educated to prepare their children, especially their sons, for their duties as citizens of the society. It was also said that women’s education would also influence their husbands.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Blog #2
1. Patriarchy uses the family unit as the structural units of the society in which the father (or oldest male) is the head of the family. He is responsible for the welfare of women and children in the family unit. The father also has authority over women and uses them for his own benefit. The concept of patriarchy often describes men as the primary responsible of the welfare of the community as a whole as well.
2. The document is a part of Rousseau's novel, Emile, in which he talks about education, difference between sexes, distinct social roles for men and women, and the reasons for fundamental subordination of women to men.
3. He claims that inequality between men and women is not because of prejudice but of reason. He says that nature has designated women for childbearing responsibilities. It is women's duty to bear children, create family bonds, train children, and satisfy male's needs in order to gain his love and faith. He claims that men and women are not the same in character and temperament therefore they cannot have the same education.
4. His arguments are not valid in today’s modern society where men and women both participate in many aspects of social life from economy to military. He has some valid points regarding the importance of women in family structure. I believe he has a point when he says that women are responsible to grow responsible men, but I don’t think that women should train male children to think of women as assets to their happiness and to use women just to satisfy their needs.
5. Although, the tasks for men and women were set accordingly to their genders, but that didn’t cause the women to withdraw from the economical activities. Specifically, after the colonization happened native women’s system of living was mainly based on the old fashioned societies.
6. The slavery factors were stronger in the North than the South and so my understanding is that men slaves were usually the ones working with the crops and in the farms. Women were in charge of doing the house chores, especially childbearing. Women slaves were bond to stay traditional, they weren’t allowed to work outside the home unless under certain circumstances.
7. Residents and especially of white women. Legislation that prohibited marriage between servants, outlawed interracial sex, and prescribed lengthy apprenticeships for the mixed-race children of white women made marriage and sex integral to the imposition of racial as well as class and gender ideologies. Yet sexual unions in North Carolina embodied the contentedness of racial relations in the early South, as men and women made personal choices based on many contingencies, of which racial or ethnic identity was only one, they often challenged emerging proscriptive codes. The widespread incidence of unauthorized unions bespoke the resilience of alternative popular codes and the willingness of ordinary colonists, women and men, to ignore or self-consciously resist official norms.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Blog #1
My name is Goharek Babakhanian.i was born in Iran, Tehran. My ethnicity is Armenian, and I was raised by Armenian parents at a Muslim community. I started attending school at the age of five, after 12 years of going to school and studying hard I finally received my high school diploma from a Persian high school. Even though, I attended Persian schools through out the 12 years, but I also kept up with my own language, which is Armenian.
Specifically, back then it was pretty hard to get a decent job to at least make a living out of it, but I managed to attend some private classes on accounting and succeeded in that field, therefore I got my first job at a huge television production company, as a accountant. At first, I had to work really hard to impress my boss, but after a while I got the higher position in the company as the head accountant. at the age of 25 I got married to my wonderful husband, and soon after four years I had my oldest son and after five years I had my second son.
The life had gotten very complicated in Iran because of the revolution, so my husband and I decided to leave the country to make a better life and future for our children. We arrived to United States in 1999, and right after we arrived here I decided to continue my education in accounting field, so therefore I started attending Glendale community college and took some general education classes for the start. In conclusion I want to mention that since I have arrived to this country I have been working and going to school at the same time in order to make a better life for myself and my family. I am very thankful to god for having such a great family, friends and most importantly all those people for instance my instructors who have helped me get through my educational skills through all these years.
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