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.

Service Learning Log Week 3

Shanay Cogdell

WST 3015

Professor Nina Perez

February 28, 2010

• Activism

This week we wrapped up our second half of the Penny Project with the Girl Scouts. As we did before, we informed our community partner,Mariana, of the materials we needed in successfully completed our project. For the first two hours that we were there,we taught the girls about ways to save their money. For the second half, we played the penny project game and they also painted piggy banks. We then had ice cream and apple pie with the girls for a treat! As far as our project is concerned, we are done and there is no more that we have to do.

• Reflection

In doing this project, there have many life changing impacts that it has had on me but the most important has been to be thankful for what I have in my life. A lot of these girls are living in undesired circumstances which is not their fault. By being part of an organization such as Girl Scouts, they are given an opportunity to see the world in another light and also have the chance to go places and do things that they may not otherwise be able to because of money,etc. It was a joy to be able to be someone that a seven or eight year old can look up to other than their parents. 

• Reciprocity:

Like I have said before, it it a blessing to be able to work with a group of girls that we had. They soaked everything up that we were teaching them which was a big reward because it will make a difference in their lives.

 

February 26, 2010

 

February 26, 2010

 

The girls playing the Penny Project Game

February 26, 2010

 

Penny Project Game

February 26, 2010

 

The girls painted piggy banks

February 26, 2010

Service Learning Log Week 2

Shanay Cogdell

Professor Nina Perez

WST 3015

Febuary 20, 2010

           Activism Log 2

• 
  
  Activism

This week we met with the Brownie Troupe for the first time on Friday February 19, 2010 at the Bithlo Community Center. We started the first half of the Penny Project with the girls and it was a major success because the girls enjoyed learning about types of money and what can be done with money. With our community partner, Mariana, we informed her of materials that we would need to carry out the project successfully such as fake money, coins, crayons, etc. As a result, we were able to complete the first half of our project in it's entirety. There weren't any pitfalls because everyone was on the same page and we communicated our needs and wants very well. For next week, we will prepare for the second half of our project as well to ensure that we know what is going on.

• 
  
  Refelection

It is very evident that there is a social class division within this group of girl scouts compared to the rest of the community around them. The area of Bithlo has a lot of manufactured homes which saddened me a little because for most of the girls, there are limits to how far they will be able to go as far as their future. We were able to see some of their parents which explains why they are living the lives that they are living.

As stated in the book, Women’s Lives Multicultural Perspectives, "Economic security is also an important aspect of well. Low educational attainment, low wages, having children, and divorce all work against women’s economic security, as do macro-level economic trends” (Kirk, Okazawa-Rey p 315). Most of the families that these girls represent are products of their environment and unfortunately can do nothing about it. There were a lot of single parents as well who allow their children to be in programs such as these as a way out to pursue opportunities that they otherwise would have never been able to take advantage of.

• Reciprocity

At the meso level, we are teaching the girls the use of money and ways to save their money. Realizing how much of an impact that this can have in the present will also have an effect for them for their future. That in itself is a reward to me because as I have stated before, we are empowering these young girls to be better women when they become of age.

Feburary 19, 2010

Feburary 19, 2010

 

Work Cited

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

Great News!!!

I just scored an internship blogging for a designer out of California that designs evening gowns.

I for one am excited becuase I'll be interning in the field I LOVE while also giving feedback on various designs,etc.

More importantly/relevant to this course, a portion of the proceeds of every DALIA MACPHEE gown is donated to Women for Women Int., an International Organization that assists women who have been victimized in war torn regions of the Congo and other sruggling areas.

I got very excited as I started reading the information on the website and saw THIS because it definately relates to the course as it deals with women's issues!

Take time to read, become enlightned and enjoy =)

One of my favorite designs!!!

Body/Sexuality Blog Assignment

Shanay Cogdell

Professor Nina Perez

WST 3015

February 16, 2010
    
                                Body/Sexuality Blog Assignment

        Based on the Jane Austen novel, the Pride and Prejudice movie is a classic tale of love and misunderstanding unfolding in class-conscious England near the close of the 18th century. Marriage in the movie is clearly acknowledged and wealthy men during this time were forced to be in search of a wife. Ettelbrick states that marriage defines certain relationships as more valid than all others (317). This is a prime example with the movie because the thread that sews together the lives of all the characters in this classic is the establishment of marriage. As stated in the “Making a Home, Making a Living”, Marriage is often thought to be an essential part of a woman’s life (301). Mrs. Bennet is an irritating woman whose main goal in life is to get her five daughters married in which she felt social and financial pressure to do so. Her husband's estate was entailed to his nephew, Mr. Collins, upon Mr. Bennet's death. Therefore, Mrs. Bennet wanted her daughters to have financial stability elsewhere in case of their father's death. In the time period of this story there was very little social acceptance of women who were single their whole lives. For the most part, women could not acquire money on their own without inheriting or marrying into good fortune. Women who could not find a husband were often referred to as old maids and lived their whole lives with their parents. People may not refer to unmarried women as “old maids” or “on the shelf” as much as in the past, but there is still a stigma attached to being single in many cultural groups if a woman remains unmarried after a certain age (Kirk, Margo Okazawa-Rey “Making a Living” 301). In which I can see why Mrs. Bennet felt the way she did and did not want this for any of her daughters.

       The Bennets' marriage was not ideal. Mr. Bennet had married his wife because she was beautiful in her youth and her ability to supply him with children. Eventually though, her beauty faded and so did their enjoyment of each other. He enjoyed his time alone in his study where he could be away from his wife and daughters. Mrs. Bennet enjoyed gossiping about neighbors and finding future husbands for her daughters in which it almost seems as a hobby for her! I believe that the director is showing the viewers that marrying only for physical appearance is wrong because we all know that beauty fades with time.

       A dear friend of Elizabeth, Charlotte Lucas, marries Mr. Collins just for money; Charlotte accepted his proposal for the pure and disinterested desire of an establishment. She was twenty-six years old and her family begun to worry. Upon hearing of her engagement, her brothers were relieved from their apprehension of Charlotte dying an old maid. Charlotte wanted nothing more out of marriage than financial stability and that is what she got. In Hunsford it seems that Charlotte did nothing but tend to the chores of maintaining her home and pleasing Lady Catherine. I do not believe that Charlotte and Mr. Collins were in love at all and they did not really seem too happy in each other's company. I think their marriage was an illustration of why you should not marry just for financial reasons which is a popular dream of most women these days. Lydia's marriage to Wickham was simply for romance and lust. For some time, the flirtatious teenager had had her eye on military officers. I believe that when Wickham showed her attention she fell in love and henceforth came their marriage. The sad fact is that she liked him a great deal more than he cared about her. Wickham had many debts and used the money he got from marrying her to pay them off. Therefore, Lydia is married to a man that doesn't really care for her all that much and Wickham is married to a girl that cannot really offer him anything. This couple shows that you should marry someone who feels the same towards you or eventually you will be unhappy. The marriages of the two oldest Bennet daughters were ideal. Jane had longed for Mr. Bingley for quite a while. Bingley was handsome, rich, kind, and well liked. He and Jane shared many conversations and had complimentary personalities. They were matched perfectly and I believe that they shared a happy life together. Elizabeth and Darcy's marriage was also a match made in Heaven. They were both were equally intellectual, had physical attraction and deep love for one another, financial security, romance, and companionship. This is an example of a real relationship because they would be most happy in life. In my opinion, marriage should be approached as a package deal - a package of love, financial stability, physical attraction, and happiness.



Work Cited

Ettelbrick, Paula. "Since When is Marriage a Path to Liberation? (1989)." Women's Lives Multicultural Perspectives. By Gwyn Kirk and Margo Okazawa-Rey.  5th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010. 317. Print.

Kirk, Gwyn, and Margo Okazawa-Rey. "Making a Home, Making a Living." Women's Lives Multicultural Perspectives. 5th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010. 301-03. Print