Take RELS 410

Clement of Alexandria, second century Christian theologian, believed that every moment of your life should be lived in devotion to God.  Thus anyone should be able to tell from your smallest action that you were a Christian.

Clement developed tons of guidelines for every imaginable situation, so that a good Christian would know how to act.

For example, if you were a lady at a dinner party, and your toga, not being the most reliably fastened garment, were to slip and bare a part of your arm immodestly, and a man were to comment inappropriately on the beauty of your arm, a good Christian woman should respond:

"It's not public property."

Once when I was 14, I was wearing a camisole and a guy tossed a penny down my cleavage, so I then had to fish at it and wriggle to get it to drop out the bottom of the built-in bra and get it out of my shirt.

I think I told him to please not do that again.  I can't remember if I laughed it off or just got stony-faced or went somewhere else.  I know he apologized sincerely after reading about how I felt (dirty, uncomfortable, uncertain, embarrassed) about the incident on my blog.  

But it strikes me that Clement is still relevant.  

What do you say?

Quick Link: The Double Standard Revealed

Via The Washington Post:

When a vaccine designed to protect girls against a sexually transmitted virus arrived three years ago, the debate centered on one question: Would the shots make young girls more likely to have sex?

Now the vaccine's maker is trying to get approval to sell the vaccine for boys, and the debate is focusing on something else entirely: Is it worth the money, and is it safe and effective enough?

Read the full article here.

March Madness - what about the women?

March Madness is upon us. The drama, the rivalries, the brackets, the sheer passion of college basketball (which, if you ask me, is much more fun to watch than pro basketball for this very reason). And yet, at risk of pointing out the obvious, the brackets we fill out with such enthusiasm on ESPN.com are for men's basketball. The majority of the publicized and televised games? Men's basketball.

The other night I went home for a UConn women's game - though the team is undefeated and has a hugely loyal fan base, they haven't been selling out, which I'll chalk up to the economy. In any case, I was riveted. I'm no sports expert, but these women were spectacular to watch - the way they interacted both on and off the court, the intensity of play, their speed and ball-handling skills - beautiful. Equally impressively, everyone on the team performs well academically - sophomore Maya Moore (pictured), arguably the best player in the league, boasts a 3.74 GPA. Based on the team camaraderie - one player is designated to high-five everyone on the bench whenever someone scores - they seem like people I'd like to hang out with in my spare time. Suffice it to say: I'm in love with the UConn women.

So after the game, with all that adrenaline going through me, I couldn't stop thinking about the fact that the NCAA basketball tournament is essentially the only time when women's sports are given a significant amount of attention in the mainstream media - and even then, there isn't nearly the same degree of excitement about them as there is about the men's tournament. What's up with that? I'm sick of hearing comments like, "Well, men's basketball is just better and more exciting than women's." That seems like a cop-out to me. For one thing, "better" is purely subjective. If women's games and brackets were hyped up as much as the men's, would we find them equally exciting? Probably. Women's basketball definitely brings the passion and the drama - the UConn/Tennessee rivalry is one of the fiercest rivalries in sports. And even as a UConn fan, I can easily admit that Tennessee coach Pat Summitt's 1,000 victories is an unparalleled feat - by any coach, male or female. The Lady Vols' athletic director was quoted as saying, "I can’t imagine anyone doing what she has done ever again." Programs like these, with a relatively long history and a strong alumni network, draw crowds. This is the same reason why men's tournament games are played on a neutral court, while women's games are played at stadiums (like UConn's) where there will surely be a wide enough local fan base to sell tickets.

And then there's another problem: where do they go from here? The WNBA has had a decent amount of success compared to other professional women's sports. But with the Houston Comets - "the most important franchise in the history of women's professional sports" - having folded this winter, one wonders about the future of the league's popularity and subsequent success. Do players like Candace Parker and Maya Moore (who can totally dunk, by the way) get frustrated by the fact that their sport's popularity peaks in college?

Bringing it back home, how do you feel about women's sports at Brown? I'd love to hear from athletes on this one. Speaking personally, I hear a lot about how undeniably awesome the women's crew and rugby teams are - but at Brown, as at most schools, nothing in women's sports is even comparable to the amount of money and hype spent on men's football. I know that, "objectively" speaking, this all has to do with money. It's a tried-and-true fact that men's games sell tickets. Fine, I understand that. But is there anything we can do about it? Other than resorting to, say, something like this? Most relevantly, do we have a feminist obligation to support women's athletics?

A Presidentress who Looks Like Me?

When I was in middle school, I thought the whole idea of people of color needing older people of color as role models was bullshit. I was like, I can model myself on anybody!

There weren't any older people of color that I connected with in the role model sense because my parents live pretty segregated lives, and in school and other settings class differences overpowered racial similarities.

It wasn't until I was in a setting with a LOT of queer people of color 10 and 15 years older than me, who actually shared some of my beliefs and life experiences, that I actually got what all the fuss about having "role models" was about. Somehow, seeing those people living lives I thought I might like to live, defining themselves outside the roles and behaviors I saw in the few Asian people in my town, embracing their race to mean what they wanted it to mean...was liberating. And empowering. And amazing. I carry it with me to this day.

I'm reminded of this experience at Brown, where suddenly I am surrounded by a LOT of women who are scientists and engineers and mathematicians. It's not that I never saw a woman who was a scientist, or that I didn't think I could be a scientist. It's that I never saw a large group of them who were anything like me together.

I have not had any epiphany about my secret desire to study biochemical geophysics. I'm not really a science person. I think if that were my passion, I would have pursued it regardless of the genders of the people I saw in science around me. It would just have felt normal because it was, the same way years of being the only girl in woodworking and cabinetmaking classes felt perfectly fine.

But seeing these women who pause to comment on cloud structures, who actually go and do out the statistical analysis for the housing lottery, these women who enjoy these conversations together and are energized by each others' enthusiasm for questioning and appreciating the ways the world works...It is strangely liberating. And empowering. And amazing.

Maybe I am just a follower who needs to see a lot of people do something before it looks good to me, but science actually looks kind of cool and accessible and easier. And I'm not sure I would ever have seen that if I hadn't had these women to shake up my image of science and scientists and how science is applied in life. Maybe this is why there are fewer women in the sciences, etc.-- because right now only those who are passionate about them or who are encouraged in them early on pursue them as careers, while the girls like me who like to be with the crowd, well, follow the crowd.

What are your thoughts on the "role models who look like me" idea?

Women's History Month Quiz

Via Feministing:

Deborah Siegel, over at Girl w/Pen, is trying to start a little infectious blog quiz. If you've got one, paste these questions and add one of your own, then post it up at your blog so we can spread the knowledge.

1. In 2009, women make up what percent of the U.S. Senate?
A. 3%
B. 17%
C. 33%
D. 50%

2. How many CEOs of Fortune 500 companies are female?
A. 15
B. 28
C. 59
D. 84

3. Who was the first First Lady to create her own media presence (i.e. hold regular press conferences, write a daily newspaper column and a monthly magazine column, and host a weekly radio show)?
A. Eleanor Roosevelt
B. Jacqueline Kennedy
C. Pat Nixon
D. Hillary Clinton

4. The Equal Rights Amendment was first introduced to Congress in:
A. 1923
B. 1942
C. 1969
D. 1971

5. Who was the first African-American woman to win the Nobel Prize for Literature?
A. Phyllis Wheatley
B. Alice Walker
C. Toni Morrison
D. Maya Angelou

6. What percentage of union members are women today?
A. 10%
B. 25%
C. 35%
D. 45%

7. What year did the Griswold v. Connecticut decision guarantee married women the right to birth control?
A. 1960
B. 1965
C. 1969
D. 1950

8. What was the first coeducational college in the United States?
A. Oberlin Collegiate Institute
B. Andover Newton College
C. Radcliffe College
D. College of William and Mary

Scroll down for answers...













ANSWERS: 1:B, 2:A, 3:A, 4:A, 5:C, 6:D, 7:B 8:A

Women in the economy

It's not exactly new news that the economy isn't doing too well. If you're like me, you're spending at least a part of your spring break frantically applying to jobs and internships for the summer. Luckily for me, I am in a pretty secure financial situation, which isn't very common. So it was with frustration that I read that with the export sector declining, women are being hit hard by the global rise in unemployment. Apparently, "Although the crisis had its initial impact largely on male-dominated sectors such as finance, insurance and construction, it is now spreading into fields where women are widely employed,"--Supachai Panitchpakdi, Secretary-General of the UN Conference on Trade and Development

And, unsurprisingly, "Women’s lower employment rates, weaker control over property and resources, concentration in informal and vulnerable forms of employment with lower earnings, and less social protection, all place women in a weaker position than men to weather crises”, said ILO Bureau for Gender Equality Director Jane Hodges

Of course, this means that there are two problems--the difference in employment and policy protections of women, and the economic crisis. It seems to me that one of these can be acted on now--not by imposing standards on other nations, but by making an example of ourselves, and making sure that movements started in other countries have some resources to make the changes they see as necessary and beneficial. More equality in employment, around the world, would benefit everyone.

On the US level, it looks like the wage gap for women still exists (of course, that was before the economic crisis. According to claims by the National Women's Law Center, the stimulus might be good for getting some more women in underreperesentated fields. And for those thinking this might be bad for men, check out this really interesting piece from the NY Times.

I know this post might seem like a downer for spring break. But it doesn't have to be! Give a little bit to Kiva, the microfinance organization, and look for a woman entrepreneur to help. It'll make you feel better, and make a big impact! I promise! Plus, it's the gift that keeps on giving! (You can take your money back when the loan is repaid, or lend it again). Programs like this are exactly what help these changes happen.

By the way, if you get bored during break, I recommend looking through the UN women watch site. It's pretty interesting stuff.

Any thoughts? I try not to impose cultural standards, but I know I do sometimes--do you see any problems? What changes do you see as being viable or necessary now?
How's your spring break going?

14/365: The Scale

I'm not a snob, I'm just optimistic

My mother has told me not to be a young feminist snob.

She wants me to not get caught off guard in an innocent belief that sexism is over because there are guys who agree with feminist principles. She means that I shouldn't assume that later in life I won't end up in situations based in sexism and gender roles-- that I'm young and that I don't appreciate the complexity and subtlety and pressures of future situations, and that my big ideas won't necessarily save me.

There's some truth to this.

Yesterday I was in training for a long-distance counseling program to help low-income students apply to college. We had to do skits on various themes; ours was over-dependence. The scenario that immediately came to my mind was a girl mentee calling her case manager to talk about issues with her boyfriend. Our group thought of reasons boyfriend and mentee could be fighting-- I came up with Valentine's Day, thinking of a person I know. The one boy in the group suggested he could be like, "But we agreed we wouldn't do anything for Valentine's Day!" based on his own experiences.

A few minutes later I found myself cast into the role of a girl who was angry at her boyfriend for not getting her anything for Valentine's Day even though they had agreed not to celebrate it. I had my case manager on speed dial and said in a bitchy tone of voice, "I never said that! I can't believe you think I said that! I can't even talk to you right now!" And called my mentor.

And this was intensely uncomfortable. I wasn't sure how I ended up playing this person, but it wasn't me. It's not that it's unrealistic- the reason the scenario came to mind is that we all knew people to whom this had happened. But under time pressure to create an over-exaggerated scenario, we re-created the gender roles and destructive patterns we'd seen around us. I think to the other two kids, nothing seemed out of place. Despite my big ideas, despite the perspectives on this sort of behavior that being in non-heterosexual relationships has given me, it is so challenging to break out of the internalized, modeled cycle.

There are a million good ways to communicate in relationships; I don't presume to judge what works and is positive for other couples-- I don't necessarily think the Valentine's Day scenario signifies poor self-esteem or a doomed couple. I just know it's not what I look for in relationships anymore, but it was still what jumped to my mind, even as a woman, to be portrayed in the small-scale skit media.

To end on a positive note, the reason that I know I want something different in my relationships is because I've seen and experienced relationships between strong people who worked hard to create new dynamics. None of them have been perfect, but I've seen some really beautiful habits for anti-oppressive communication and decision-making, especially among younger couples. It's inspiring! I don't think I'm a young feminist snob, I'm just optimistic.

Hate crime legislation in RI

Rhode Island might be small, but it's pretty cool that we live in a state that is so often ahead of the country on progressive changes. Right now, there are 10 states in the country that have trans-inclusive non discrimination acts, including Rhode Island. This is something that hasn't happened at the federal level--you may or may not recall that ENDA, the non-discrimination act that was introduced last year, did not included trans people, and only provided provisions for sexual orientation, something that was not only a cop out, but very hurtful to many. ENDA didn't pass because it didn't have support from either side--in an act of solidarity, the LGBT community didn't support the legislation. These laws protect people who are genderqueer, gender varient, or are transgendered from discrimination based on their gender expression.

While Rhode Island might be ahead in some arenas, hate crime legislation is not one of them. Check out this for more info on which states include sexual orientation and/or gender expression in their hate crime laws (if they have any). Including gender identity and expression in hate crime legislation is important to provide legal protection to transgendered people, who are often victims of violence.

Below is a reprint of a call to action to help lobby RI legislators on upcoming hearings on making the RI definition of hate crimes more inclusive:

Join GenderAction - a subgroup of the QA working on issues facing transgender and gender variant people. We're helping pass a bill to add "gender identity or expression" to RI's law defining hate crimes. It would also mandate that police be trained in gender identity/expression bias and that the state keep statistics on gender identity/expression related hate crimes. We need your letters of support! Write them as individuals, or as a group, and send them to: queer@brown.edu
The bill # is H5432
Group meetings are every Wed. at 7pm in Faunce 321

So get writing! It only takes a couple minutes!

Quick Link: Obama and Women's Issues

Check it out: Obama creates post for international women's issues.

What do you all think? I'm wary of how it might be carried out, but optimistic about the fact that the rights of women around the world are being made a priority.



One other thing: If you're reading this blog, please feel free to comment! We want to hear from you, not just the other way around.

Two links, a rant, and a plug.

Here are two great articles debunking some of the myths and accusations being hurled around in the wake of the Chris Brown/Rihanna incident (the first gives a brief summary, if you haven't heard about this awful story).

Five Mistakes We Make When We Talk About Rihanna (Newsweek)

What It Doesn't Mean (Yes Means Yes Blog)

I'm going to come right out and say that it infuriates and upsets me when I hear ignorant comments and jokes about domestic violence - on this very campus. We're supposed to be this bastion of social justice, and yet the day after the story came out in the news I actually heard a friend say, "Chris Brown is my hero because he smacked up Rihanna." I wish I could walk around and hear people talking about about how incidents like this are indications of a global social illness that is tied up in questions of gender, race, and power - not petty gossip and jokes that only perpetuate the problem.



In happier news, I'd like to shamelessly promote the Gender & Sexuality Studies DUG. It's pretty new and we're excited to get some awesome events off the ground...more about that later! For now, the official blurb (note that you do not have to be a concentrator to get involved):

"The Gender & Sexuality Studies Departmental Undergraduate Group is a space for students to meet and talk with other students interested in the topics of gender and sexuality. The DUG is not limited to current concentrators; any students interested in these topics are welcome to attend and voice their opinions. The DUG will have an informal meeting schedule (about once a month) and will sponsor various events throughout the year, including in conjunction with other departments. E-mail GNSSDUG@gmail.com for more information."

Free Market

Going once, going twice, three times...

Would you sell yours, if you knew you'd sold mine too?

My body's been sold

a hundred million times

beer, bikinis, and breast cancer

across magazine pages.

More power to her,

if she can get paid to wear that.

But her power,

was my power

bodies attached to minds,

voices, to those succulent lips.

Free markets have coordination failures

If everybody started investing

to create a Mecca, El Dorado...

but no one will go first.

From her flat belly

to her slender thighs

She's an externality.

Her price 

is more than she

your market

has failed me.

Your body does not just belong to you

It's a shared form,

that I never signed.

Page after page after catalogue page

My body's been sold a hundred million times

Because beer doesn't taste good enough on its own

Buy one, get a hot babe free

Would you buy her,

if you knew you'd bought me too?

Because everyone needs a little sesame street

Here's something to cheer you up with the state of society, and the state of your homework.

"When women run, women win"

So, I just got back from a Women's History Month event and I am suitably inspired. I won't go over everything that the speaker, Lt. Governor Elizabeth Roberts covered (although, seriously, check her out, and then vote for her for governor of RI in 2010), but I do think that one of the points she made comes up again and again in politics.

When women run, they win, and at the same rate as men. But women just don't choose to run, both because they don't think that they're qualified, and because they just plain don't get asked. There are two parts, then, to this problem. The first is the difference in how boys and girls are socialized, and the second is the way political parties are run. In Robert's case, she ran after being asked by her incumbent, and informing, not asking the local Democratic party, where potential candidates may have to wait in a line before being endorsed. As far as the socialization of women, that's obviously an issue that effects many professions and situations. The upside of a bad situation is that people feel more comfortable sharing life experiences with a women, which is useful for door-to-door campaigning, something that Roberts said she was happy to find out and use to her advantage.

The counterargument to all of this is, of course, that elected officials represent all of their constituents, and not just those in their own demographic. However, I think it's important that our government be representative, and that women tend to better represent women's issues. As Roberts stated in her speech, when people's government looks like them, they tend to trust it more. I definitely will be looking into Rhode Island's track record in the future, since it didn't sound good, though as a Virginian I might be impressed.

For more info, check out this book, which happens to be by a Brown professor. You don't necessarily need to read the whole thing, but the arguments and data are really interesting.

I'd also recommend checking out this site for information on publicly financed elections in Rhode Island. Publicly financed elections have been found to increase participation by women and minorities in campaigns.