Talking Point # 3 (Voting for Justice)

Obama
LGBT Issues

 http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/john-berry-head-of-opm-and-openly-gay-helps-obama-reach-out-to-gay-community/2012/09/18/3f0b8316-a453-11e1-9e73-f4e3879b34a3_story.html

       Gay Marriage is one of the many issues that both political parties are going to have to tackle this presidential election. Although gay marriage is recognized many people are still against the legal recognition of same-sex marriage.  Couples have to cross over into bordering states in order to get married. Same sex couples who are married are looked over since their marriage isn't legal in their town they have no benefits. This year president Obama said that he supports the LGBT community as well as promising the equality if he is re-elected.  Obama is reaching out to the LGBT community with the help of his campaign fundraiser John Berry who is also openly gay.  John berry decided to lend a hand in the campaign once he heard the president’s pledge on equality and his support for the LGBT community.  With Berry now working with the president is proof that being openly gay in the workplace is just as acceptable as being a straight male.  
    The issue at hand is LGBT issues such as adoption restrictions, work place harassment, and marriage. Heterosexual males and females reap all the benefits that come with being straight in society. While the LGBT Community has to fight for the right to be married to their partner. The LGBT community is suffering because they are simply being looked over, ignored, not mention, some act like they do not exists. With the support of the president not only is he a potential ally, he is shedding a new light on a community that is not backing down.  


Here Is the video of  President Obama appointing the first openly gay social secretary Jeremy Bernard right after abolishing  " don't ask , don't tell ". 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njLADeBCBDs  

* This post connects back to the analysis of  the speeches that both Michelle Obama and Ann Romney gave at the Democratic National Convention. Each women spoke briefly on important issues such as the LGBT community, equal pay,education,student loans, and the military.  

Talking Point #1 (Rowe-Finkbeiner)

The F- Word : Feminism In Jeopardy Women, Politics, and the Future
Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner

    A Tsunami In History made me think of my mother and the countless pieces of jewelry she gave me as a child. I regret losing a few bracelets, rings, and ear rings that she gave me now I see the importance of gifts but as a child I wanted to wear the jewelry to show off. I really wanted to call my mother and ask her to recite the story behind every ring and bracelet she gave me. I wanted to learn the history of each piece maybe she got it from my father, maybe she bought it, maybe it was given to her by her mother and it was time to pass it along to her child. But each story was not as exciting as the story told by Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner. This reading really made me want to start a tradition of my own so that my children and their children can talk about how I made a difference something that could be proud to retell the story. 
   
After re-reading the Rowe-Finkbeiner article after fourteen weeks of class I have a better understanding of the context. The F word other wise know as feminism is in jeopardy to women because of the backlash associated with the word. Women are afraid to be called " The f-word" fearing that they will become unattractive to men or even worse be labeled as lesbian.Feminism is in jeopardy in politics because their are not enough women. We need more women to help make decisions for the sake of women. Women are not as active as they were in the first two waves ,  since politics are dominated by men the consequences of going against societal norms is much to fearful to women. Future feminist should fear feminism with open arms while challenging culture, institutions, behaviors. Feminism is bold, empowering, political, battle that improve thyself as well as relationships, it's complex, intelligence and humor. In the words of Lisa M Hogeland " Of Course young women are afraid of feminism-shouldn't they be? "
  

Talking Point #1 ( Hogeland)

Fear of Feminism
Lisa Maria Hogeland
ARGUMENT

Lisa M. Hogeland the author of Fear of Feminism argues that women get the willies from feminism when the distinction between gender consciousness and feminist consciousness is blurred. Lisa argues that women do not know how to distinguish the two different forms of gender consciousness which are awareness of women vulnerability and celebration of women. She argues that older women are less likely to become feminist, while younger women are more likely to become feminist. Lisa also argues that fear, violence, and vulnerability is the main reason why women fear feminism.

Hogeland is stating that people in general but mostly women do not the difference between being conscious of your gender and being feminist conscious. Since a lot of women cannot differentiate the difference it causes confusion about feminism. Hogeland talks about how older and younger feminist view issues like for example older feminist view the backlash as changeable while younger feminist view the backlash as unchangeable and how it has to be. She states that fear is another reason why women don’t want to be associated as a feminist. Fear of violence plays on the fears of millions of vulnerable women that can be used as an anti-feminist campaign. 

* This all ties back to the discussion we had in class about what is feminism ? and it touches base on what Chris said in class about people being afraid of being called a feminist. 

Gender and Society Fall 2012: Welcome to this Women's Studies blogging adventure...

Yes ! I finally got the hang of this site so come and check out as well as  comment on my blogs onaysiaortiz.blogspot.com