fJonathan has 13 post(s)

In “Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving? Anthropological Reflections on Cultural Relativism and Its Others,” Lila Abu- Lughod characterizes and critiques the connection affiliated with the war on terror. Lila Abu-Lughod like many people who majored in college for Women gender studies has shifted the focus in Afghanistan from terrorism and the control of the Taliban to how women are able to express themselves. In Lila Abu-Lughods article she explains how the invasion of Afghanistan by the United States was not successful. She states how Laura Bush has said that the women there are free after the invasion of Afghanistan and the fall of the Taliban. Her main argument is centered around the burqa. During the control of the Taliban women were required to wear Burqas, and not go to school to receive an education. Women walked around with their burqas as if it was a second home. Even after they have been “liberated” from the Taliban they still do not remove their Burqas. This is even more confusing because she then explains the origin of burqas. It originated from the Pashtun Tradition. Lila disagrees with Laura Bush when she says they have been successful and that the occupation of Afghanistan plays a role into proving freedoms to the Afghan peoples and especially to their women. Women are still oppressed in Afghanistan. That America is just like all the other imperialistic countries that have plagued the muslim world, or mainly the Middle East. Lila Abu-Lughod’s article is very unclear behind motives because it seems as though she contradicts herself. Unless this article isn’t about an argument but rather an informative one. To find an effective solution in Afghanistan you must dictate the patriarchy in each and every impoverished village in Afghanistan. Edit the very manuscripts and religious contexts in which these people have been practicing for hundreds of years. Instill your foreign government into the nation and tell them whats wrong and whats right. While you focus on the patriarchal relationships in each village and each household be sure you effectively combat any insurgents. Lila Abu-Lughod’s article gives us a step 4 when we haven’t even reached a step 1 in a developing country called Afghanistan.

Amelia Cabezas, ” Between Love and Money: Sex and Tourism and Citizenship in Cuba and The Dominican Republic”, gives the reader insight into the underground economy of prostitution in different countries and how tourism has affected the surge of this underground economy. Amelia Cabezas creates this idea of “Sex Tourism”. That tourists and travelers to different countries like Cuba and the Dominican Republic go to different countries not with the sole purpose of engaging in sexual activities with the peoples there but rather that it is part of the experience there. That this whole idea that prostitution is common amongst tourist sites motivates people to visit these places even more so than their beautiful beaches, etc. The government also allows this to happen because their governments rely on “sex workers” so why say or do anything. But then the author gives us with the “romance” side. Which isn’t a correct label for acts like these. She says homosexual men engage in sexual acts with no expectations of receiving any type of money for it ( most likely because their environment doesn’t support openly gay men so they look for alternate ways to feel satisfaction) and women look for romantic relationships with tourists ( If you read closely money and citizenship status in other countries were motives most likely for these relationships).  Citizenship status and nationality is complicated only if your not accustomed to seeing and observing these actions yourself. Its normal in society to see why tourists visit other countries. And its pretty obvious as to why people in poor countries sell their bodies to anyone from a first world countries with a chance of becoming a citizen in another country maybe for a better life. Nationality is complicated because you can see tourism helping the country financially but then again what are the intentions of these filthy men/women, to take advantage of people who are poorer than them.

Lise Widding Isaksen, Sambasivan Uma Devi, and Arlie Russell Hochschild address several concepts associated with the migration of women from third world countries to more profitable countries within Global Care Crisis: A Problem of Capital, Care Chain, or Commons?. 

To begin explaining the concept known as “the commons” we must understand why its practice is necessary. Due to economic, political, and social factors prevalent in their countries of origin, many mothers relocated in order to create a better standard of living for themselves and their families. These women would often work as caretakers for other families, while leaving their elder children or superiors to care for their younger youths. These younger women would then send money to families back home. The money they earn is received from the services they provide in these more developed and economically stable countries. They take the paid responsibilities more financially stable people are less likely inclined to take on. Such as babysitting and caring for a child of the family or cleaning the apartment or house for that family, cooking for that family. So the commons which is the cycle of care is being transferred in many two ways. Where the children that are left behind by the mothers who go to seek new lives in the more developed countries transfer their care and concern to the kids of the people that pay them. In return the children left behind get financial assistance they would not have received from their mothers if they were employed in their second or third world country where jobs were not ample. So more or less the commons is like a community in a way or it is also like an exchange of services. Their is also a stereo type that carried these mothers but it is irrelevant just as the subject of feminism is to immigration.

Being an “outsider” is a soft word for feeling like an outcast. I have felt like this for the majority of my life and I still struggle with feeling like an “outsider” to this very day. Most experiences I have had with feeling like a “outsider” are very violent and bring back terrible memories from my past. Sharing this information with anyone else wouldn’t be appropriate and necessary for a public college discussion. Instead I can give a more controlled and less emotionally felt experience in my life as feeling like a “outsider”. In elementary school I grew up in an impoverished and violent neighborhood. I didn’t have the proper hygiene products to make me a likable student in school and my eczema was untreated and most of the time bloody and unattractive. Wearing ripped, smelly clothing and being physically unattractive made people avoid me. No one wanted to socialize with me. I never went to a birthday party, a get together, a dance or anything. I didn’t have no school supplies and I hadn’t read a book at all in elementary school . So the feeling of an outsider  followed me as I moved from school to school, it followed me into my home and it follows me even today in different forms. Patricia Hill Collins, “Learning from the Outsider within: The Social Significance of Black Feminist Thought” explains how these experiences teach black women about oppression and sociality. That being or feeling like an outsider allows them to realize how to distinguish themselves amongst other people and stereotypes like white women. That like the white women they too shared a similar source of oppression, the white man. Even though their oppression was felt in different degrees. Black women began to use their assertiveness and sass as functions that helped them survive. This enabled them to cope with and fend off oppression of being an “outsider”.

In Part Four of Chapter Four: Periodization of “History of Sexuality” by Michel Foucault, Foucault makes claims regarding the repressive thoughts, actions, and origins of sexuality (28). Foucault describes this as a “technology of sex”. At first, sex was more privatized; it was something that was not discussed among public ears. However, this increased privatization led to a greater number of discourses regarding the topic of sexuality, such as the ones that occurred throughout the nineteenth century that Foucault examines.
The structure of sexuality was devised by the bourgeoisie, who were the ruling class at the time. They had recognized the importance of sexuality, considering it a means of continuing and protecting their lineage as opposed to being a means to repress members of other walks of life. To them, sex was closely associated with health and an individuals’ overall wellbeing. It was due to this belief that discourses regarding sex and sexuality were more promoted than before. In addition to the bourgeoisie, other areas within society were also responsible for attitudes and beliefs that were commonly held towards sexuality. This includes the pedagogy, medicinal groups, and economic associations. These groups were mainly focused on examining the sexuality of children and women, and how this function can be used to regulate the births of future generations.

Foucault’s writing reflects his belief that the church was the primary origin of sexual repression. It was when the Catholic and Christian church implemented the practice of confession that we begin to see the characterization of sexuality. Contrary to popular belief, it was the institutions and practices that were devoted to sexual cognition that were responsible for forming these types of repressions. Technologies of sex were produces in the wake of these functions.

What I am confused bout is Foucault’s reinstatement of the repressive hypothesis. It is stated that it was economically motivated, but it also regarded as a power balance.

Question 1: Does Michel Foucault describe prostitution in a way that makes it look acceptable?
Question 2: How have women not liberated themselves from the social norms of sexuality in marriages ?
In chapter one of “The History of Sexuality” by Michel Foucault, Foucault focuses on the beginning of the establishment of the sexual norms that have developed into the late nineteenth century. He or she even implies it is currently still seen in our society.
Foucault explains or claims that before the Victorian regime which was around the late 16th century people did not care as much for public nudity or public discussion when it came to sex. That it was acceptable for children to even talk about it.
However when the victorian regime took over the social construction of marriage surrounded itself around secrecy and a sexual monarchy.
Sex outside of marriage and divorce was seen as taboo and looked upon in society. Foucault makes statements about prostitutes and so on. Stating they challenged the social norms in a victorian regime society, whatever that has to do with it. Honestly I think they personally needed money and manual labor was out of their physical and social boundaries so they resorted to selling their bodies. Which should not be praised as sexually revolutionizing as Foucault does. Foucault also implements capitalism into this chapter to show the transitioning of society into one that is more strict and male dominating in the sexual aspect. During a time when labor exploitation was vital marriages did not have the time to explore into sexual endeavors or exploration. That marriage and sex only clear reason and purpose was to reproduce. So played the role into demeaning women. Also giving insight into the transitioning of power in marriages and the abuse of sex in a relationship had caused the repression of women in marriages.

In Bell Hooks chapter, “ Eating the other: Desire and Resistance” of her essay Hook establishes a relationship between the rise in interactions between white persons and “the others”. Hooks uses words as “the others” to group together people who are racially and sexually different from the norms of white culture. Hook shows the transition in reactions from white people to people of different cultures. That dominance and superiority are no longer reasons for sexual or other physical interactions with people of color. Hook makes a statement of support to show an example of this transition. That three white jocks had the goal of fucking as many Black, Asian, and Native-American girls as possible. The relationship with the others and white people are due to the ideology that having sexual encounters and cultural enrichment would progress their experiences. That this spice and interaction would be a benefit to there boring, cliche lifestyles. Even though it takes the consent of another for them to produce this ideology and consider it successful. White people consider this method sound and acceptable since they no longer practice the racially, discriminatory, supremacist ways of their forefathers. This method is a way that white people and people of color can break down boundaries with other cultures. I don’t understand the primitive part, I feel as if that is totally irrelevant to the subject and that she tries to elaborate on this central idea and just confuses the topic some more with her feministic perspectives by trying to show a chauvinistic view of white men. Hook further contradicts herself by characterizing this relationship as productive due to the fact that instead of white people seeing themselves superior to “the others” they can see each other possibly as equals. That the sexual encounters and taboo ideology of the others bring about healthy interactions and further progress into social integration.

C.J Pascoe’s Book, “Dude, You’re A Fag” explains how students, teachers and/or administrators contribute to the cultural meanings around gender and sexuality at River High by implementing activities and social orders that are seen as culturally accepted and practiced in a standard ideal society. Social gatherings such as prom and football meetings were used to gather groups of people for a more social setting so people or rather children can be productive by sharing and transferring ideas with one another. In River High the administration rules that follow these social gatherings such as prom would be seen as a progressive measure to ensure that students in their last and final year at the school can make a successful transition into adulthood. This is shown through the yearbook photographs and strict dress code for seniors. Boys were covered up with tuxedos and girls wore an off the shoulder dress with other minor details that showed off cleavage. This would be considered even more evident the emphasis on “sexual differences” because the lower class students, sophomores and juniors, were allowed to wear whatever they wanted to wear. The staff contributed to the cultural meanings around gender and sexuality by disregarding the various kinds of sexual preferences in its yearbook. Under categories of best dressed, best couples, etc were images of heterosexual relationships. This is seen as the ideal image of culture in River High and also places emphasis on the transition to adulthood. The dances that also took place at River High suggested that faculty had a major influence on sexism on these occasions. Promiscuous and vulgar dancing was the most concern for staff in charge of dance, not the music that was being played to students which contained highly graphic and sexual music. Seeing as how this was the seniors final year at River High it was time to transition the students to adulthood by enforcing strict dress policy, filtering pictures that displayed an ideal heterosexual student body and sexist music which also influenced the activity of vulgar heterosexual behavior.

Jennifer Morgan’s “Laboring Women” and Angela Davis’ “Women, Race & Class” both represent concepts about labor that develops their central idea and assist in forming a better understanding of women’s roles in the course of history. Concepts of motherhood, monstrosity, and home all help develop the idea behind labor. In Morgans book black women and other indigenous women were seen as monsters and were considered inferior to European women. The appearance of their breasts and other physical features that made them indistinguishable from a male made them more suited as slaves. The degradation of women outside of Europe influenced many Europeans to use them for work. Labor was the main reason behind degrading women across the globe. In chapter one, she states they were compared to goats udders. This comparison to a domesticated animal shows the value the Europeans placed on women not native to Europe. So they can find a reason to enslave them due to the increasing need to cultivate land because of a rise in colonies. Labor was not mentioned very often in chapter one, but it was the main focus as to why the Europeans created a terrible image of indigenous women. Angela Davis uses labor to effectively explain the role of the housewife and the role of a black slave. Angela Davis uses two misconceived parallels occurring at the time to explain the actual connection and vital dependence they have. The pre and post civil war era and the women’s pre and post suffrage movement. Labor for slaves is being whipped and sexually assaulted on a major plantation. Labor for some white women at the time was the concept of being a housewife. Which consisted of tending to the kids, cooking, cleaning, taking care of the farm with their husband, etc. The mill Girls are also discussed in her book to explain the misconception of all women at the time. Poorer women worked at mills to support their families as well as the husband. In terrible conditions for terrible pay. Labor in her book is the common factor towards rebellion and revolution. Labor in Morgans book is used to understand the why. Why were African women and indigenous women degraded? Angela Davis investigates the the how. How did labor conditions and labor roles start a revolution?

Laboring Women: Reproduction and Gender in New World Slavery by Jennifer Morgan details the emergence of racism through distinguishing factors and features the indigenous in comparison to white European women and men (32).

In chapter one, “Male Travelers, Female Bodies, and the Gendering of Racial Ideology,” Morgan references many European authors who began expeditions and constructed observations that paved way for a more savage view of the African and native women they came into contact with (43). The degradation of the African women and in turn the African men was needed in order to enslave them into forced labor for the Europeans in the Americas (28). This was known as the Transatlantic slave trade (8).

European authors and journeymen–when in contact with black women–described them as unwomanly. Only in some cases were they were able to differentiate between men and women and the only physical feature that did distinguish them were their breasts. Lynda Booze considered this a threat to the patriarchy (48).

Women were focused on to provide the distinguishing factors amongst the races. They were considered savages due to their habit of being naked constantly and the absence of marriage. They had sexual intercourse with anyone in their culture, worked while pregnant, and bore the scars of many children. In the European perspective, the lack of shame and disorder in their societies led the white Europeans to believe that these “races” they came into contact with where inferior to them (79).

One physical feature of black women that allowed the white Europeans to give support to their ideas of white supremacy and attitudes toward race were the breasts of black women, which were described as “sagging”. When working on weeds they were described as having “six legs” (43).

Women were described in various accounts as monsters and sexually dissatisfying, but sexually active enough to produce laborers. These observations and descriptions of black women produced ideas that they on equal grounds as animals and can be domesticated, thus giving reason to classify them as inferior to the white Europeans and to provide them with racial differences. (56)

How did the perspective on black women by the European narratives affect black men?