Introduction: Sexual Violence Against Men by Elijah Zagorski

   

  I’m Elijah Zagorski, and I’m going to be researching sexual violence against men. This subject draws my attention because I feel it is often overlooked based on society’s idea that men rape women and the idea that men are masculine and therefore are strong because (translating to them being able to force rape not to happen to them).

    There are a couple of focuses that I would like to take here: on men who are (or are perceived to be) queer and those in places like prisons. I cannot begin to list how many times I've heard people state that rape jokes are not okay and then later will make or laugh at a rape joke in the prison setting, particularly about men being raped by other men.

    Here's an interesting article that I think brought up a lot of valid and important points that is working toward ending sexual violence, and it's very important and valid that they do have a section about for men. They integrate interesting statics of how  "1 in 6 reported sexual assaults is against a boy," and that "[a]bout 14% of reported rapes involve men or boys." They also mention that when addressing this topic, it's important to examine institutionalized settings (such as prisons, fraternities, the military, etc.).

   

Christina's Introduction: Men, Masculinity and Sports

      Hello! My name is Christina and in my blog, which is about men, masculinity and sports, I will be discussing the standards male athletes are held to by society. There are many unacknowledged standards these athletes are held to. We often assume that men are tough, strong, and unemotional. We don't expect them to show any sort of weakness or vulnerability. For example, when a male athlete hurts himself in the middle of a game or match, while we are concerned for them, we expect them to shake it off, or at least act tough about it. Why is this? Why are men expected to always have a cool, calm and collected exterior? A lot of this attributes to sports. Sports are generally viewed as "masculine."
      This is just one of the many examples I will be discussing in this blog. There are many hardships male athletes go through, simply because they are men. The fact that these hardships are practically inevitable nowadays is unjust and corrupt. I hope to explore as many aspects of this topic as I can. For now, though, I will leave you with a few links to other blogs discussing masculinity and sports as well.

Men, Sports, and the Culture of Masculinity

Social Views of Masculinity related to Sport

Erin's Introduction

Hey there friends! My name is Erin Lucas and I will be discussing Women in Incarceration focusing  on asylums through the years. This is mainly because I find learning about mental health fascinating and know that even though much has improved from the beginning of mental health care, there are still many devastating similarities between asylums from the 1800s and those from the 2000s.

Even as I say this, many people think, "No, we've improved everything from cleanliness to treatment options!" which may or may not be true depending on the circumstance. Surely, our institutions are cleaner and shock therapy is a thing of the past, but who looks at what treatment they have now? It often includes isolation and medication.


Now, this is not all mental institutions, but the fact that some believe that the proper way to treat depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, and many more mental issues is to keep them away from any human contact is ludicrous.

I'm focusing on women for this because women have dealt with the brunt of this dehumanization for centuries. For now, I leave you with a picture from an Ohio Asylum from the 1800s and a satirical song speaking about how they were treated.

-Erin Lucas

Melissa Condon's Introduction

My name is Melissa Condon, and I will be writing about transgender individuals and sports. In recent years, the topic of transgender people in athletic competitions has gained significantly more attention as the LGBT rights movement has moved forward in the fight for providing people of all genders and sexual orientations with equal rights.

The issue of individuals who are transgender participating in athletic events has gained attention because many people feel that the birth sex of an individual would provide the person with physiological advantages in certain areas of athletic competitions, causing the event to be unfair.

I will be investigating and writing about the different sports policies that are being considered and implemented regarding the inclusion of transgender athletes.

To learn more about transgender athletes in current events, click on the following link, which leads to a variety of Huffington Post articles about the topic: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tag/transgender-athletes/

Additionally, a list of organizational policies regarding athletes who are transgender can be found here: http://www.transathlete.com/#!policies-by-organization/c1vyj

--Melissa Condon

Justina Farfan's Introduction to Women and Hip Hop

Hi everyone! My name is Justina Farfan and I’d like to introduce the topic: Women and Hip Hop. What comes to mind when you hear the words women and hip hop? TLC? Queen Latifah? Nicki Minaj? Well these women are just a small representation of the many women who have made an impact on hip hop today. There’s one long list of woman hip hop artists that portrays woman as strong, powerful, and beautiful, yet when you hear some of music and watch the videos of today that image has been completely erased from the face of hip hop music. Even by just listening to the hip hop music over the decades there has been an obvious transition in how women are portrayed.

Here is “U.N.I.T.Y” by Queen Latifah made in 1994, a song that has been greatly impactful on the hip hop genre and one that is uplifting and gives a positive image to women.

Now here is the beginning of the new age of hip hop music featuring extremely vulgar and pornographic lyrics that all started with 2 Live Crew. One of their most popular song "Me So Horny" released in 1989 portrays women as prostitutes and just overall "sluts", completely degrading to women. Take

You can clearly see the degrading image of women that is still prevalent in recent hip hop music today. Pretty much on the radio all you hear today is artists rapping about "bitches and hoes" and even women hip hop artists have used sex and vulgarity in their music as well. When did rapping become more about what you want to do in the bedroom as opposed to using your voice to share a message that has true meaning? Why is it that women are given such a bad image in hip hop music?

I'll discuss this and explore deeper into the different ways women are portrayed in hip hop, from the powerful, strong and beautiful images to the degrading, "slutty", "thots" of todays generation.

-Justina

Morgan Palen's Introductory Post: Rock Music and Sexuality

Hello all!

My name is Morgan and I'll be exploring the topic of sexuality in rock music during my time in this class. Rock music has always been a guilty pleasure of mine, and I get really excited when I find musicians that create music exploring sexuality in a positive way, or musicians that are openly and unabashedly supporters of the LGBTQ movement.

Many rock musicians that you probably already know of including: Rob Halford (Judas Priest), Freddie Mercury (Queen), Beth Ditto (The Gossip), Chuck Panozzo (Styx), Joan Jett (The Runaways), Janis Joplin (Big Brother and the Holding Company/Janis Joplin),  Otep Shamaya (Otep), Michael Stipe (R.E.M.), Billie Joe Armstrong (Green Day), Romy Madley Croft (the xx), and Marilyn Manson (Marilyn Manson/Marilyn Manson and the Spooky Kids) identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, etc.

I hope to enlighten you about anything and everything surrounding the LGBTQ community, sexuality, and it's relation to rock music and rock musicians.

This is an article from another blog that I found that talks about the rock star Marilyn Manson's sexuality and how he portrays himself through his music.

Enjoy!

-Morgan Palen

Casey's Into!

   Hey! This is Casey Coulter and blog topic is sexuality in film! I'll probably post my opinions on this topic as well but I'm going to try to keep them separate from the actual facts! I'm going to be posting about stuff relating to LGBT representation in movies, how characters express their sexuality in movies, how it can affect an audience, etc.

   I think films and movies are an important topic to consider when talking about sexuality because they can greatly influence an audience. Depending on what stance the movie takes on it and if the audience is open to the content, it can have a big impact on our personal views of sexuality. I think popular movies nowadays can challenge or abide by sexual taboos that society imposes and that movies could play a big part in what we think about the theme of sexuality.

   I think that movies are a reflection on the public opinion as a whole, and when the public opinion changes, the expression of sexuality in movies changes too, although it could happen vice versa as well. I found this article and it's quite lovely and way better at trying to explain what I'm trying to say than I am so here you go! Although that article is mostly focused on female sexuality it makes an excellent point that movies can influence a viewers opinion by showing them another perspective on a subject.

   I think that pretty much covers what I'm blogging about this term, I hope you all find my posts enjoyable and enlightening!

-Casey Coulter

Ashley Compton's Introduction

Hello everyone my name is Ashley Compton and I am a sophomore at Eastern. For this blog I will be exploring and researching women and country music. I chose this topic because I have grown up listening to country music my whole life. Growing up, there was almost always country music playing throughout my house. It is all I ever remember listening to and it brings back many great memories when I hear certain songs. For these reasons it is my favorite genre of music to listen to now. However, as a woman who has grown up listening to it, I have noticed that the view of women in these country songs and music videos has changed quite a bit, in some ways for the better and in others for the worse. While watching country music videos or listening to certain country songs, women are not always portrayed in a positive light by some artists. In many songs and videos women are portrayed as weak, provocative, less than intelligent, and almost like an accessory to men.

My goal for this blog is to not only shed some light on the way women are portrayed in the songs and videos, but discuss how this portrayal has changed over time. I also hope to discuss what it is like for female artists in the country music industry and the ways they choose to portray themselves.

-Ashley Compton

Sarah's Introduction: Women and Sports

       
          Hello! My name is Sarah Jump and I will be addressing the various issues concerning women and sports this semester. When thinking of an athletic woman, it would be assumed that she would have the same professional treatment as any other gender. Her many achievements would be acknowledged and she would be depicted as a well rounded, excellent athlete. All of this recognition  would be wonderful if they were actually positive all the time. When looking through a magazine, how are these woman actually portrayed? Do they look powerful and competitive or do the publishers turn their achievements into something sexual? If these women had the intention of becoming fashion models they wouldn't have wasted their time mastering their craft, yet society continues to create an identity for them. Throughout this blog, I will be sharing personal experiences in being a female athlete as well as some of my own opinions about the subject.

Danica Patrick- Sexualized NASCAR driver

Heather Mitts- Pictured in a "Men's Health" magazine where she was rated as the 5th sexiest woman out of a pool of pictures of woman athletes

-Sarah Jump

Sarah Reasoner introduces The Transgender Movement

Hello everyone! My name is Sarah Reasoner and I am blogging on the Transgender Movement.

Though your history books say that the Civil Rights Era occurred in the 1950s and 1960s, this is wrong. Really, we are still in the Civil Rights Era. And as long as homosexuals, people of different races, women, transgender individuals and anyone else is fighting for equal rights, we will stay in the Civil Rights Era. 

It seems like the transgender community is becoming more prevalent. Trans-people are increasing in numbers, starring in hit TV shows, and writing books. Though many cisgender and transgender individuals have increased their efforts for equal rights and for acceptance, we as a society still have a long way to go. To some, this subject is uncomfortable because it makes exceptions to the 'normal' compartmentalized definition of 'gender' that we have learned.  For others who identify as transgender, as agender, as intersexed, or use another gender identification, this topic hits home. And even more people are just unsure how to feel.This is why it is so important that the Trans-gender community is recognized and that the effects of their movement are seen and felt throughout society.
 
It's so easy to look at all the hate given to the transgender community, but it is very rare that we see the positive efforts transgender individuals and supporters of transgender rights are making to help those who identify as a sex they weren't biologically 'assigned to', or identify with no gender at all.

Because of this, I intend to make my blog posts to inform people of the positive efforts made to propel the transgender movement, to look critically at organizations and concerns within the transgender movement, and, hopefully, to inform about the rights that trans-people are actually looking for. My goal for this blog will be to focus on not just problems trans-people face in our society, but how people are going to try to fix it. Let's start a new era together.

- Sarah Reasoner

      Hello everybody! My name is Ali Marnon and this semester I will spend time looking at sexual violence against women. But before we can look at this issue and understand it, I thought that we should all learn what constitutes sexual violence. According to the World Health Organization, "Sexual Violence is any sexual act, attempt to obtain a sexual act, or other act directed against a person's sexuality using coercion, by any person regardless of their relationship to the victim, in any setting." To see more information from the World Health Organization about sexual violence against women, see here. Men aren't the only perpetrators of sexual violence against women. Women can also cause sexual violence against other women.
      This semester I am interested in looking at the different forms of sexual violence and the different environments in which sexual violence can occur. What effects can sexual violence have on the women that become its victims? Will these victims have to carry these effects for the rest of their lives or will they be able to overcome these effects that have been forced onto them?

This was an interesting video made to create awareness about sexual violence against women.

Bridget's Intro: Violence Against LGBT Communities

My name is Bridget Thomas and the topic I chose to research this semester is violence against gay, lesbian, and bisexual people. In this blog, I will explore the levels of violence, as well as the dimensions and types of violence, directed toward gays, lesbians, and bisexuals.
Furthermore, I want to discuss the topic of violence as the preeminent form of oppression of sexual minorities. Oppression can be defined as "an institutionalized, unequal power relationship maintained by violence or the threat of violence" (Onken 10). The issues of power and heterosexual privilege are  relevant topics when discussing violence against, and oppression of, gays, lesbians, and bisexuals. Heterosexuality is the majority sexuality, and therefore people of this group hold power and privilege. In this blog, I want to focus in on the process by which people, or groups of people, gain and maintain the capacity to impose their will upon others through threatening and invoking punishment in the form of violence.
Watch this YouTube video titled The Violence of Ignorance: Violence against the LGBT Community and to get an idea of the violence and oppression happening around the world against gays, lesbians, and bisexuals. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SG6EXNm5-w

Tarryn Priestly, the Feminist Movement and You

Hello, I’m Tarryn Priestly and I’ll be discussing and critiquing the feminist movement. I will mainly be looking at the most recent events of the movement and most importantly at what the movement has both achieved and what influence it has in today’s society. It is also important to note that with critiquing the feminist movement comes with pointing out the problems still lying within the movement or problems that have arisen within, but I will talk about how these issues can be dealt with or at least put in a light in which they will be able to be improved upon.

With feminism as my main topic, contributors to the movement will be mentioned, such as celebrity icons or leaders. The different types of feminism, such as womanism and Chicana feminism, will eventually be discussed as well. 

Below is a venn diagram about the different categories or 'places' in feminism from blogger battymamzelle

Alex Duncan's Introduction

Greetings!
I'm Alex and I will be researching Violence Against Transgender People.  This is a very prominent issue in society today.  Gender is being increasingly viewed as less binary and more fluid, but nonconformity still poses a huge risk to many people.  Transgender people are 16 times more likely to be murdered than the average American, and face higher rates of poverty and unemployment than any other group.  In fact, the average lifespan of a transgender person is only thirty years, and many trans* individuals who are older than that did not begin their transition until after they had passed that age. (x)  Forty-one percent of trans* identified individuals have attempted suicide, and nineteen percent are refused medical care on the basis of their gender identity alone. (x)  Violence against trans* people ranges from harassment, to discrimination, to assault and is very prevalent but not always a common topic of discussion. 

As a genderfluid/nonbinary individual, I have become very interested in gender identity and gender expression over the past year or so.  I feel that it is very important for everyone to have a safe place to explore their own identity, and the best way to create safe spaces is to educate people.  I believe that a large amount of discrimination is rooted more in ignorance than in blatant hatred.

Josie, Sexuality and Visual Art

Hey there!

My name is Josie Hicks, and this semester I'm choosing to blog about Sexuality and Visual Art. I chose this topic for a very personal reason, being that I'm very much offended by sexualization of all sorts, because it can easily lead to the objectification of a living being. However, I'm looking to really take a step back from my point of view, as much as humanly possible, and try my best to understand sexuality as an art form. I'm hoping to learn a great deal this semester, and share my thoughts often. Don't be afraid to post back, and spark some conversation amongst yourselves! Also, anything I post is definitely up for interpretation, so let me know your opinions.

So far, I've been searching through Google images, looking for an image to share with you folks. Lots, and lots of striking images. Some are very explicit, and others are not. Today, I'm going to leave you with this comic that I found concerning female sexuality in Islam.

Anthony Bellore Introduction Masculinity in Rock Music

How's it going, everybody?  Welcome to the blog of yours truly, Anthony Bellore.  Here I will be discussing the topic of masculinity in the Rock music genre.  Rock music has always been one of my favorite genres of music, and it's evident how rock has become gendered as being a masculine type of music, despite the fact that there are many woman musicians in the rock scene.

To go along with this, I will also be discussing the representation of the gay community in rock music.  Even though rock music is seen as a masculine genre of music, two of the most famous rockers of all time were gay; Freddie Mercury and Rob Halford.

Along with this, I'll be talking about the masculine dominant culture of southern rock music.  Southern rock has many rebellious lyrics that are anti-authority, dominant of women, and about fighting and drinking.  I want to talk about why their mindset is this way, and why they choose to act in such a manner.

Amanda Blohm's Introduction: Gender in Popular Films

Hey everybody, my name is Amanda Blohm and I will be posting about Gender in Popular Films. I find that the influence films have on gender in general society, from a young age for children even up to young adults, is important to look at and understand. Generally, when one thinks of gender, it is in the two boxes of female and male. These are not the only genders, as there are several gender identities. As our society progresses in the LGBT movements, more of these are coming to light and being represented in media. Films happen to be a large part of our life and what we see as children, teenagers and adults.

Children are influenced by what they see characters do and how they act. We tend to develop our gender norms from a very young age, especially influenced by what we see in films. How women and men are represented differently in films greatly affects a child's perception. Young girls look at princesses and see how they act, and usually they emulate the way and style these princesses have. Boys will see how men are represented, almost always as the leads of movies and confident, rarely are they ever seen as weak. The great difference between how women and men are represented in movies becomes important when looking at the development of gender roles from a young age.

As I said, the representation of gender in films is changing as more than just the gender binary is expressed now. Although the amount of transgender characters in movies are limited, they are beginning to be shown and it is important for any person of any age to see that proper representation in films, in media.

The fact remains that:

• "Males outnumber females 3 to 1 in family films. In contrast, females comprise just over 50% of the population in the United States. Even more staggering is the fact that this ratio, as seen in family films, is the same as it was in 1946." [Source and if you scroll to the bottom, you can find a few more statistics about the gender ratios in film]
• And by far, the fact that there is so little representation of transgender, genderqueer and nonbinary people in media that there is far less information about the topic. But that does not mean that there is no representation for genders other than the binary, here is an article that points out all of the transgender characters that have been introduced through film (as well as television shows, although all my blog posts will be focusing on films).

Welcome to Our Blog

Welcome to the course blog for Professor Currans's fall 2014 honors section of WGST 202: Introduction to Gender and Sexuality at Eastern Michigan University.  Students will be blogging over the course of the semester on topics related to the course.  Please check back frequently to see the work they've done.

Gender and sexuality often show up in the news and in popular culture.  Here are just a few examples.

Actress Emma Watson discussed gender equality at the United Nations on September 21, 2014. This video documents her thoughts about men's role in ending gender inequity.

She has received substantial criticism for this speech. For example, 4chan, a group that distributes and creates nude photos of women celebrities, threatened to find or create unseemingly images of Watson.

Another actress, Laverne Cox, has also been in the news in recent months due in large part to her openness about being a transgender woman.  In this video she discusses her role in the netflix series Orange is the New Black.

The ongoing controversy about former NFL player Ray Rice's public beating of his fiance continues to be in the news.  Recent reports allege that the Baltimore Ravens worked to make sure that Rice's behavior not become public for fear that they'd lose their star player.  For many, this as well as other reports about domestic violence by players, demonstrates the ways that violent behavior is condoned and even encouraged among professional male athletes.

This incidence has also reignited debates about why abused women, men, and people of other genders don't leave violence situations.  The Huffington Post has provided six accounts from women who survived violence relationships that explore the complex dynamics of violence relationships.