Extra credit blog

Yesterday I was flipping channels when I came across and interesting documentary on the LOGO channel.

For those of you who may not know, LOGO is a channel dedicated to content related to gay and lesbian affairs, as well as other diverse groups that some might consider sexually deviant. 

The documentary that was on was called "My Mums Used to Be Men" and it was about a girl whose parents became transgendered while she was a child. The girl has been estranged from her biological mother, and her biological father and his partner are both men that became women. All of this happened when she was in between the ages of 6 and 8, and she is set on setting the world straight about her unconventional family.

For a while, Louise (the young girl), was in the center of a media frenzy. However, she is very happy with her family life, and contends that she would not change a thing. When her father (now mother) explained to her at a relatively young age that he had always felt he was a woman, Louise said she understood. According to Louise, her family seems organic and natural, and she would not wish to be more conventional.

I think its great that Louise was able to have such a positive experience with a parent deciding to go through a sex change. Its clear that Louise and her family are very open minded, and I wish her the best. 

I think that its very unfortunate that some people would consider this perverted or wrong. I also think that many people might have a problem with the fact that Louise's father decided to do this while Louise was at such an impressionable age, rather than waiting for her to be older.  I, on the other hand, feel that it is ok because he went over the procedure with her daughter before actually going for it. For all we know, if she weren't ok with it, he wouldn't have gone through with it.

With these sorts of situations, the most important thing is to be open. I don't think that this would have been an OK thing to do if Louise was not comfortable. I think that the children come first, and when you bring a child into this world they become the priority, and that putting unnecessary burdens on them isn't fair. It would be ok if she was born and he had already changed his sex, but if she is a young child, I think the fact that he discussed it with her prior to his procedure is very important. 

I do think that something like this can destroy a child. I'm glad that Louise is strong, confident and accepting. Still, I think a child comes first before a parent's lifestyle choice, and that they are certainly a priority over a sex change procedure if they are not OK with it. What do you think?

Responses week 6

Terry,

I do think that this is a very common occurrence, especially in traditional American families. I do tend to notice that some ethnicities tend to have more 'mixing' in their get togethers, but in my experience many American families maintain this sort of gender conscious socialization pattern. 

I'm not sure if this is necessarily a good or bad thing. I think that very often it is a good thing for people of the same gender to congregate together in order to share their thoughts and ideas, or just to have fun without worrying about the opposite gender. At the same time, I think that having both genders present is what makes a party whole, so that you have the positive aspects of both.

What I mean by that is.. In my family, women don't tend to play sports. So unless we have some male-female interaction at a party, its doubtful that a game of volleyball will come up in the backyard. However, since we do almost always have mixing, we end up doing a lot of fun and fullfilling things that we would probably not do if both genders weren't present. 

At the same time, there is still some separation that occurs at my family functions. While men do help, its basically the women that take care of the cooking/setting up/cleaning. I really don't have a problem with this because it feels like more of a habit now that i'm older. I can't imagine a party without females in my household , because I don't know who would clean up the mess :p

Class business week 6

Today I came across a very interesting article at cnn.com:

http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1815538,00.html?cnn=yes

This article discusses the link between biology and sexual preference specifically in gay men. According to the article, recent findings suggest that the brains of gay males are more similar to the brains of heterosexual females than they are to heterosexual males. This similarity was noted with regards to the size of the two hemispheres of the brain, which are usually about equal in size in heterosexual women but unequal among most straight men. In most straight men, the right hemisphere is somewhat larger than the left, and this tendency was absent in men who identified themselves as gay. 

In addition to this difference in hemisphere size, brain scans found that the nerve connections between hemispheres in gay men were also more similar to straight women than they are to straight men. 

According to scientists, these findings are not significant because they are the first differences found between the male homosexual and heterosexual brain, but because they are the first differences noted that are not directly linked to portions of the brain that are solely linked with sexuality and/or reproduction. These newly found differences are more closely linked with emotional centers of the brain, and parts of the brain that are not linked to reproduction at all.

Right now, scientists are not completely sure of the significance of their findings, and what these findings will lead to, but I think that once there is more research conducted, it will change the way we look at gender roles as well as at people with different sexual preferences. Today, there are still many people that defend their homophobic tendencies by claiming that to be gay is a perversion or a choice. Its true that coming out as a homosexual may be a choice, but there is more evidence being found each day to support the notion that some or all gay people are born gay, and that it is not simply a choice. 

There are also other applications to this type of research. I would find it very interesting to see the brain scans of people who do not identify themselves as either gay or straight, but as transexual or transgendered. I wonder if their brain scans would yield similar results to those studied here, or if different patterns would be found altogether.

Finally, I would like to the brain scans of women who identify themselves as lesbian. I think that many people do not take lesbianism as seriously as they take homosexuality in men, and tend to think that it is more of a lifestyle preference than an innate desire. I think that seeing the brain scans of lesbian women would help enlighten society, even if it turns up that there are no significant differences between the scans of homosexual women and straight women. Either way, knowing more about the brain and its structure is always helpful, and will always help society reach for more concrete and fulfilling answers to our most mysterious questions. I also feel that science is one field that can affect society in a positive way by fostering and encouraging a common understanding. 

responses week 5

John,

I agree that a lot of what we expect goes back to what we learned, but there is also an element of personal preference due to the media-centric nature of our society.

Before television and internet, most peoples values were probably very similar to those of their parents. There were always those few who got away, but parental influences were much stronger than the are today.


Nowadays, while your family environment does affect many of the opinions you form, I don't think that it necessarily dictates them as closely as it once did.

I think that there are plenty of people who are raised one way, but live completely differently once they are on there own. This is due to the amount of external influences we are now subject to, which was simply not an issue 100 years ago. I think that there are certain personality types that are more willing than others to deviate from their personal upbringing, while others tend to stay close to home.

Glenn,

I don't see how there are any two ways about it..this is a custom that needs to be stopped. 
..But I also think that there is a lot to be learned here about our own culture.

You're right about one thing.. when we look at issues like this, our own gender issues seem to pale in comparison.

I remember thinking about this when reading about the problems that Thomas Beatie (the pregnant man) had to face when he wanted artificial insemination. His issue was that insurance would not cover the procedure because he had listed himself medically as a man. 

Thinking about Thomas's Beatie's problem next to this issue makes Thomas Beatie seem like the wrong person to complain. Beatie's issue was with a private insurance company, this is an issue that is happening across an enormous nation with little being done by the government to stop it.

I think that many people tend to become centers of their own universe. Women and minorities in the US complain so often about injustice, but usually do little or nothing to help people who really are suffering. Thomas Beatie, for example, could have easily saved one of these little chinese girls through adoption, rather than demanding such a controversial procedure be covered through insurance.

Alex,

I think that are are people who are violent of both genders.
To me, it seems that female aggression seems to be on the rise because it is now more acceptable for women to be physically violent against other women or even men. More people today are willing to believe that girls can be just as violent as boys, and therefore feed into the attention that the posters of violent content often crave.

I don't think that there has necessarily been an increase in female violence, but that it has changed forms. I also think that the same can be said of male violence.

The media and sites like youtube provide people with an outlet for violence that they have never had before. We are therefore more aware of the violence that has always existed. This, in turn, paints violence as acceptable in society, spurring similar copycat videos and acts. While it is interesting to compare the effects of sites like youtube on both genders, I think that this is an issue that affects everyone.

Business Post week 5

This year, it was declared that 1 in 5 American women officially have their first child after the age of 35. As more women have entered the workforce and have obtained higher paying positions than ever before, many women, although they plan to have children eventually, consider securing an occupation more important than having a child. Nowadays, more women over 35 who have difficulty conceiving are able to get treatment for this problem. One solution is in vitro fertilization, in which a egg is fertilized outside of the woman, and then placed into her womb.

As a women ages, her eggs often become degraded. After the age of 35, the chances of retardation in the child doubles. In addition to this, other problems having to do with an aging body and reproductive system can also contribute to higher risks for babys born from older women.

 

Despite the health risks posed by in vitro fertilization and childbirth later in life, more and more women are choosing to have children later in life. While some couples choose to adopt, I find it interesting that so many people would rather risk carrying an unhealthy baby .

 

I wonder to what extent Gender roles play into this situation. Is it the act of carrying a child and childbirth itself that a woman wants to experience, or is it a desire to pass on one genes?

 

I think that in many cases, its both. While in vitro fertilization can be very expensive, it is often covered at least partially by health insurance. Adopting, on the other hand, can often be a long and expensive process.

Another option for older mothers who want to have their own child is to choose a surrogate mother. Still, this might have great psychological impacts on both the mother to be and the surrogate, and a mother might fear that the surrogate might somehow want to become overly involved in the childs life.

 

I think that the act of pregnancy and being pregnant is very important to many women. In many cases, it is important enough that they feel it is well worth the heightened health risk. I think that many women would feel that they are not fulfilling their maternal roles without going through the process of pregnancy and childbirth. What do you think?

responses [week 4]

To Glenn's Post:
This is an interesting topic. Personally, I've never found any sports besides tennis interesting at all, so maybe I can observe as an outsider and provide some input.
In my school, males and females participated in the same sports with the exception of football. While most sports were separated by sex, the same sports were played by both males and females. Our girls basketball team was actually the best team our school had.
Also, I remember reading someone's post and they stated that most high school honors bio class have overwhelmingly more males than females. In my AP bio class, however, there were actually only 3 males and the rest were female. There were two sections of the class, and I'm sure the other had some males, but there definitely wasn't an overwhelmingly disproportionate sex ratio either way.

Anyway-- your post, in combination with that other post and my own life experiences have caused me to wonder what other factors affect gender participation in certain activities. 

For example, you say it was the types of sports people were encouraged to play. In my experience, I think males just participated much more in sports than did females, although they were the same types of sports. 
In the case of AP bio..I think that many females in my school actually excelled over males because they were not relying on as many other activities for their college applications (the honors band, for example, was almost all male). 
I think that in the case of your school system, more gender interplay would probably have improved the attitudes of students of both genders to each other late in life. At the same time, I feel that a lot of this has to do with family life, and whether or not one's parents take the time to teach their child how to respect someone who is different.

June 2, 2008 11:15 AM

To Tom's post:

Tom,

Like Glenn, I can identify with both sides in this case. 

I'm sure that there are some women who might tend to see things at face value, and some men who might look deeper into the situation, but I definitely see the stereotype in how your friends responded.

Regardless of whether or not a nice piece of Jewelry means commitment, I do think that most women would perceive this as a sign that you are very interested in continuing the relationship in the long run. I don't think that seeing things in that way necessarily means a woman is reading further into it than a man, because even looking at something at its face value, it is clear that jewelry is among one of the more expensive gifts a man can give a woman.

In addition to this, the fact that you went out and bought it means you wanted her to wear a token of affection that you have given her. When people asked her, for example, where she got such a nice bracelet, you at some level realized she would say 'oh, my boyfriend gave it to me', sending the message that she is taken by you.


While I may be a part of the female stereotype that views things this way, I also think that sociologists and psychologists might think similarly. People who study courtship would probably view an expensive gift, especially one that is meant to be worn, as a sign of commitment.

It is interesting to me that some men would not agree. Maybe, from a biological standpoint, men are not suppose to consciously understand that by giving a gift like this they are lowering their chances of reproducing with other females by tying themselves down to one.

June 3, 2008 3:13 PM

To John's Post:

John,

I can totally relate to this scenario. 

My mother is from Latvia, and has a very thick Russian accent. Despite the fact that she came to the US in her late teens, her accent is still very strong.
My mother has been living and working in the US for over 20 years, but because of her accent, people often assume that she can't understand what they are saying. My mother speaks and understands english perfectly, but because she sounds different, people often speak to me when I am with her. 

The same thing is also true of my grandmother, who speaks four languages fluently. She graduated from university and worked as an accountant in the US, but because she has an accent and is somewhat elderly, people speak slowly to her.

Although it is upsetting, I guess you can't really blame the people who are doing this. In their minds, they are trying to accommodate a person who they think cannot understand them. A real problem would occur if after they are corrected, they continue to do this. This does happen from time to time and is very unfortunate.

June 4, 2008 7:52 AM

Week 4 Class Business Post

Considering the countless films that portray college years as times of drinking, fun, and sexual promiscuity, its no wonder that many students act as if "what happens in college stays in college".

Even if some students do not partake in some of the scandalous fun that wild college parties offer, most are still aware of what is going on around them.

People around the world have vastly different views on this sort of activity.

 Some people believe that underage drinking and sexual promiscuity are wrong, while other people consider these behaviors to be lifestyle choices.

 Personally, I feel that people should do whatever they like as long as it doesn't bring harm to anyone else, and I have no problem with sexual promiscuity in either women or men.

Recently, a new issue has emerged that will undoubtedly affect college life for many students. The availability of Co-Ed dorm rooms in universities across the United States has infuriated many people, but has also introduced the idea that gender/sex doesn't really matter when it comes to choosing the right person to live with.  

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/04/02/just_roommates/

Co-ed dorming is not a new issue. 

Many dorms contain both men and women, and many have even allowed men and women to share bathrooms and suites.

Co-ed rooming, on the other hand, is a new concept that many parents are having trouble coming to terms with. Many people feel that it will lead to sexual promiscuity, or that it will make the youth insensitive to concept of sexual privacy that many of today's adults consider the norm. 

Many still feel that a girl's modesty is at stake when she moves in with a male that she is not explicitly in a relationship with. 

I feel that this is a gender issue because it seems to me that the parents of male students would be quicker to allow their sons to live with a girl he is not dating than to allow their daughters to live with a male friend.

 While I have no statistics to back up this notion, I know at least that this would definitely be true of my parents, who would consider it shameful for me to live with a male friend, but who would not mind if my brother lived with a female. 

My parents are not extremely traditional by any means, but to them it just seems like a crazy thing for any 'good' girl to do. 

As I mentioned earlier, 

the concept of co-ed rooming on college campuses introduces the idea that someone may simply be more a more compatible roommate with someone of the opposite sex, even if there is no sexual tension there. 

 I think that while there is a likelihood that there will end up being sexual tension if both or one party is heterosexual, it is in fact possible to live with someone of the opposite sex without mutual sexual attraction.

Personally, I think this is a great idea for some people. It really shows how much society has moved towards gender equality.

I think the idea that it is becoming more mainstream in society for a man and woman to live together shows that people are truly beginning to believe in gender equality and to live by it.

Of course, 

people who are not comfortable with the notion of co-ed rooming should not be forced into it, but I think its great that this option exists for some people who truly believe that men and women should be treated exactly as equals.