The last one

After reviewing this weeks reading one sentence jumped out at me. Allan Johnsen wrote, "There is no 12-step program, no set of instructions that will turn it [patriarchy] into something else." The first thought that pops into my mind when I hear "12-step program" is alcohol. The next would be drugs and then it turns into a struggle. One participates in a 12 step program to help rid themselves of a horrible habbit or problem as well as gain support from other people in a similar situation. Before taking this class I could never see patriarchy as a habbit or problem that needed a 12-step program. I knew what patriarchy was, I had read about it countless of times. I read about it in the Bible and I read about it happening in different cultures. I read about it but was never really touched by it until this year. By this class. The bible, although known about it's sexist content, is a history. I read about what life was like for women of the time. I can imagine their struggles of daily life. I then think about what my life is like. I can see a difference in our lives, not just because of the difference in date. Everything I have is because of women who took a stance against patriarchy. It wasn't that they hated men, although some might have, it was that they took a stance against societal structure. It is human nature to want something better. Ever since the beginning, feminism has be linked with strongly opinionated women and has been seen as negetive. Even though it is seen that way now it's meaning is changing into something more positive. A 12 step program can only truely work when a person is ready to move forward. Women, and some men, are always ready to move forward and Maya Angelou's first stanza in Still I Rise illustrates this as well as captures the spirit, and history of feminism.

Still I Rise~Maya Angelou

You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You ma trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I'll rise.

Does my sassiness upset you?
Why are you beset with gloom?
'Cause I walk like I've got oil wells
Pumping in my living room.

Just like moons and like suns,
With the certanty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I'll rise.

Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
SHoulders falling down like teardrops,
Weakened by my soulful cries.

Does my haughiness offend you?
Don't you take it awful hard
'Cause I laugh like I've got gold mines
Diggin' in my own back yard.

You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefullness,
But still, like air, I'll rise.

Does my sexiness upset you?
Does it come as a surprise
That I dance like I've got diamonds
At the meeting of my thighs?

Out of the huts of history's shame
I rise
Up from a past that's rooted in pain
I rise
I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the ride

Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that's wonderously clear
I rise
Bringing the figts that my ancestors gave,
I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise
I rise
I rise.

Response #10

Synopsis: Labor and pay are gendered due to the continuance of traditional sexual division of labor.

Traditionally women have worked in fields that cater to their 'nature'. In other words, any job that involves nurturing or caring in some way women have dominated. It is in a man's nature to be strong, handy, and protective so they have traditionally worked as policemen, contractors, farmers. In fact, men have always been seen as the primary bread winners of the family so it is understandable that a sexual division of labor was formed. While men worked the higher paying jobs women took what was left, what was undesirable, or what was considered more 'woman's work'. Now, during more current times, women are working in the fields that used to be off limits to them. There are women doctors, lawyers, scientists, mechanics, mathematicians, and even Nobel prize winners. Men too have entered into fields that previously were female dominated. These fields include nursing, librarianship, elementary school teachers, and social workers. Men working in these fields are actually at an advantage and this is known as 'The Glass Escalator". Men are encouraged to move up while women are encouraged to stay put.

Pay, as well, is gendered. According to Ellen Bravo and Gloria Santa's article, "most women do the same jobs they've always done, and those jobs pay less than comparable jobs done by men." In addition, most jobs that women have are lower paying jobs. Teaching and social work are excellent examples. The pay for both of these jobs is pennies compared to what a businessman or politician makes. Even though women are lawyers and doctors, they tend to work more in family practices and this pays less than other areas of both fields.

The concept of 'the Glass Escalator" interests me. Christine Williams talked about discrimination in hiring in her article. She said that, "...the more female-dominated the specialty, the greater the apparent preference for men". Three different movies come to my mind when I read this quote. Although, these movies do not specifically point to the preference of men in these occupations, I think it helps them to be a bit more accepted by society. These movies are Meet the Parents with Ben Stiller, the television movie The Librarian with Noah Wyle, and The Ron Clark Story with Matthew Perry. In Meet the Parents, Ben's occupation was of a male nurse. There were a few references during the movie that made fun of his occupation or his masculinity due to his occupation. In The Librarian, Noah is a librarian who finds ancient artifiacts that have the power to destroy the world and he ends up having an adventure to save the world. Noah also faces comments about his job as a librarian. Due to the stereotype that librarians, at least male librarians, are weak nerds it is hard to believe that the action hero of this show is indeed a librarian. On my part, at least the libraian is a cute looking nerd :) In addition, there have been movies made about male teachers. Matthew Perry, from the hit series Friends, portrayed a male teacher who taught one of the toughest teachers in Harlem. This is really the only movie that touches on pay. Matthew Perry's character did not teach in Harlem because the money was good. In fact, he took on a second job as a waiter to help support himself. He took the job so he could help children.

*Sorry the pictures won't work for me. I ment to have them in the last paragraph.*