Abstract for Discussion Leading 3/29

Shanay Cogdell
WST 3015
Professor Nina Perez
March 27, 2010

Antrobus, Peggy. "The Global Women's Movement." Women's Lives Multicultural Perspectives. Ed. Gwyn Kirk and Margo Okazawa-Rey. 5th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010. 629-35. Print.

In the beginning of the passage, Antrobus defines what the global women’s movement is and various views on what it actually is. She begins the passage by asking a few questions concerning what it is and how we can understand such a movement. Antrobus states, “It seems to me that the continuing confusion about what defines women’s movements relates not so much to the fact that this movement does not conform to a conventional definition of a movement, but rather to lack of clarity about objectives in contexts that differ widely” (629).She then lists various ways of clarifying the contradictions reinforcing tendencies within the women’s movements and lists an array of professions, organizations and associations that women are apart of and argues that, ‘’All of these women must be seen as apart of, or at least contributing to, women’s movements” (630).

Antrobus lists various characteristics that fall under the scope of a women’s global movement such as diversity, feminist policies, global reach methods of organizing, symbols and images and origins. Antrobus states, “A characteristic of many of those involved in women’s movements is the process of personal experiences; still others work experience” (635). She also argues that there is a difference from other social movements that sets the women’s global movement apart from the rest.

Service Learning Log Week 5

Shanay Cogdell
WST 3015
Professor Nina Perez
March 22,2010

Activism Log 5

Activism:

There was not much activity this week with our project; it happened to be the week we got back from Spring Break so after completing our project we took a break. There was not much contact with our community partner, Mariana, either. As a group, we did discuss possible dates to submit the verification worksheets to Mariana as well. Jessica and I assisted with cookie sales outside of Wal-Mart as well which was fun!

Reflection:

As I look back at the course of the project and the times we met with the girls, rarely did I see fathers picking up their daughters. In Women’s lives it states, “More women than men make up the working poor, and women of color are more likely to be poor compared to white women” (Women’s lives 311). I say this because many of the families represented were minority. Also, this backs up what I said before about the mothers being just about the only ones picking up their daughters. Parental roles have also shifted with women being the breadwinners in the home.

Reciprocity:

As I said before, this week was pretty non eventful but cookie sales was a joy!

Work Cited

"Making a Home, Making a Living." Women's Lives Multicultural Perspectives. Ed. Gwyn Kirk and Margo Okazawa-Rey. 5th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010. 311. Print.

Service Learning Log Week 4

Shanay Cogdell

WST 3015

Professor Nina Perez

March 5,2010

Activism

This week, we discussed with our community partner when we would submit our tracking sheet for service learning. Next week is our Spring Break so we will not be meeting.

Reflection

The girls in our group’s parents all work and I am sure that most cannot afford childcare for their children. Therefore, programs such as Girl Scouts are a great opportunity for them to stay entertained and their parents will not have the burden of having to pay for childcare. As stated in the Women’s Lives textbook, Childcare is a major family expense (Women’s Lives 307). A huge weight is lifted from their parents in this area but their children are not only taken care of but they can also engage in rewarding activities that will not only alleviate stress but also can be a stress reliever for the girls because of what may be going on at home.

Reciprocity

Word would never be able to describe the reward I get from working with young girls. It is truly a great opportunity for us to be able to instill basic knowledge into these young girls’ minds to better their future.

Work Cited
"Making a Home, Making a Living." Women's Lives Multicultural Perspectives. Ed. Gwyn Kirk and Margo Okazawa-Rey. 5th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010. 307. Print.

Vixen in the Kitchen-Angel in the Attic Blog Assignment

Shanay Cogdell
WST 3015
Professor Nina Perez
March 16, 2010

Vixen in the Kitchen-Angel in the Attic Blog Assignment

                  In the premiere episode, "Patriarchy," Kitty Walker (Calista Flockhart) returns home to California after having been estranged from her mother (Sally Field) for three years. Meanwhile, William Walker (Tom Skerritt) brings Sarah (Rachel Griffiths) into the family business, where she soon discovers some glaring financial discrepancies that could undermine the Walker family's way of life.
                The series follows the Walkers through the maze of American life today- the pressures, limitless options and the struggle to grow beyond our backgrounds into ourselves. This is a prime example exhibited in the book Women's lives Multicultural Perspectives,working-class women are heavily penalized for job intteruptions, although these are the very women who allegedly "choose" less demanding occupations that enable them too move in and out of the job market without undue wage penalties" (Kirk and Rey 341). Through these fascinating siblings-Sarah, the corporate VP who returns to the family business so she can give to her marriage as much as she does to her career; Tommy (Balthazar Getty), the loyal son trying to live up to his father's expectations; Kevin (Matthew Rhys), the gay lawyer cautiously learning about love; Justin (Dave Annable), the baby of the family, grappling with war trauma and addiction; and Kitty, right-wing radio host turned TV host who has always been daddy's little girl-the show explores what it means to be a family in the 21st century, and how these brothers and sisters balance their own lives as they strive to accept their parents as people-flawed, contradictory and forgivable-rather than just as a father and mother. The parents are William Walker, the larger-than-life patriarch and president of the family business, and Nora Holden, the opinionated wife and mother to the five Walker siblings. Then there's Ron Rifkin as Saul Holden, Nora's brother; John Pyper-Ferguson as Sarah's husband, Joe; Sarah Jane Morris as Tommy's wife, Julia; and Patricia Wettig as Holly, a woman who's history with William could bring the Walkers and their company down.
               The episode perpetuates traditional gender roles by the wife doing motherly/wife roles like cooking or taking care of her children while in this case, the mother’s children are all adults. Gender roles are also divided equally. According to Paula Ettelbrick, the concept of equality in our legal system does not support differences, it only supports sameness ( Women's Lives 318).

Work Cited

Ettelbrick, Paula. "Since When Is Marriage a Path to Liberation?" Women's Lives Multicultural
        Perspectives. Ed. Gwyn Kirk and Margo Okazawa-Rey. 5th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010.
        318-18. Print.

Crittenden, Ann. "The Mommy Tax." Women's Lives Multicultural Perspectives. Ed. Gwyn Kirk
         and Margo Okazawa-Rey. 5th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010. 341-41. Print.

Behind the Music Blog Assignment

Shanay Cogdell

WST 3015
Professor Nina Perez
March 2, 2010

Behind the Music

“Before He Cheats” by Carrie Underwood

"Before He Cheats" tells the story of a woman taking revenge on her potentially unfaithful boyfriend. She imagines him hanging out and flirting with a "bleach-blond" girl shooting pool, buying her a drink, dancing, and hoping to be "getting lucky" with her. As a result, she does several law-breaking actions including vandalizing his customized four-wheel drive vehicle by scratching its side with a key, carving her name into its leather seats, smashing the headlights with a Louisville Slugger baseball bat and slashing all four tires. She hopes that this will make him "think before he cheats" again.

There is a double standard against men and women because women cheat, they just don’t get caught. This video is a form of economic violence at that falls under threats/intimidation because it is the destruction of property or valuables. At micro and meso levels, women can be violent as well as men (Kirk, Margo Okazawa-Rey "Violence Against Women”).The song has drawn criticism for its glorification of violence as a justified response to the infidelity suffered by the subject of the song. Someone vandalizing their boyfriend's car would not simply get away with it and come out on top, as the woman in the song seems to think/suggest she will (especially given that she slashes her name into the seats, making it easy for any investigator to determine a prime suspect). As stated in the book Fight Like a Girl: How to be a Fearless Feminist, Rape will not end when women stop wearing short skirts; it will end when men stop overpowering and violating women (Seely 201).Unfortunately in some cases the man doesn't walk away at all because the estranged wife or girlfriend feels that the cheater is better off dead. Revenge is a sweet thing but killing someone over infidelity or veen going to jail is not worth it...there are enoguh fish in the sea! 

Lyrics: http://www.cowboylyrics.com/lyrics/underwood-carrie/before-he-cheats-16593.html

Video Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaSy8yy-mr8

Work Cited

Seely, Megan. Fight Like a Girl:How to Be a Fearless Feminist. New York and London: New York UP, 2007. 201. Print.

Kirk, Gwyn, and Margo Okazawa-Rey. "Violence Against Women." Women's Lives Multicultural Perspectives. 5th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010. 258-58. Print.