Euthanasia Presentation

Euthanasia

2018 Election and Gender

The 2016 election had a huge impact on a lot of social justice issues. It shown a light on many topics, that were maybe not spoken about as much before. Women, particularly those effected by sexual assault, were moved to action by the president’s words and rhetoric, to speak out about these injustices, and to run for office. Women have long been attacked by men in spots of privilege and power, and we are starting to take that power back. The outcome of the 2016 election fired up passionate women in the Democratic Party, to run for office in 2018, and to vote in those who truly represent them. 

     In the article by Stacy Abrams, we see women having to defend their right to even run, within their own party. Instead of the party welcoming diversity, they were trying to stifle it, for fear of being beaten by the opposite party. Women are starting to challenge the incumbents because they are sick of the status quo. The article goes into talk about a lot of amazing women who are running in races where they are not thought to be “viable” candidates. Nevertheless, these women push through because even if they lose, they have maybe made it easier for the next woman. It is a community fight. This article made me think of Unlearning the Myths that Bind Us. For so long we have had this one idea of politicians, and women have typically been removed from that. Just like we are not simply princesses in a cartoon, we are also able to be part of the political arena. 

     The Soloway article was a very powerful read. I remember having the same reaction as her to the Access Hollywood tape. It was disgusting and awful, but at least now people will know how gross Trump is (not that that ended up mattering...). But then people actually started defending locker room talk and it broke my soul a little. The author also shares my sentiment of how can men be allies to women while talking about them as if they are objects behind closed doors. This election highlighted, to many women, that we need to keep fighting for our right to be in the same space as men without being treated as though we belong to them. I also found it interesting how when the author asked her male friends if they called out people shaming women as they would someone using racist terms they said no. I think this has a lot to do with how accepting we are of toxic masculinity and locker room talk. Boys will be boys they say, but all that does is pave the way for the Brock Turners of the world to think it is ok to have sex with an unconscious women because consequences don’t exist to them. The Me Too movement has begun to hold men to their actions and create an idea that if you do something harmful to women, it will be shouted about. Men who abuse power are no longer entitled to a safe space. And again, although the outcome of the 2016 election was anti- feminist, it did help fire up a feminist movement that may not have existed otherwise. This article had me thinking of “11 and Gender Fluid”. This young girl is fighting her own feminist battle by deciding to take something masculine (like trousers, or a hat) and telling the world that she can be a woman and also use clothing that men would typically wear. 

Gender Norms

      This article was a very interesting read on how very young people view and explore gender norms. I love that we are living in a day and age where this is becoming more acceptable and there is conversation around the trans and gender fluid community and how to best serve them, especially in educational settings. I would like to think that as educators, we can all be as open and caring as the parent is in this articles, but I know that is not the truth and there will always be people who push back on the idea of gender fluidity. 

     The mother in the article genuinely enjoyed the transformation she was watching her daughter go through and was very supportive. Children are so pure and, the child in this article was no exception. She had a style in mind and went for it, and her mother encouraged her. This is the ideal relationship children should have with adults in their life. Encouraging them to live their best and happiest life. 

     This is hard though when we do live in a world where from even before a child is born, we obsess over gender.  With baby showers, gender reveals, pink nurseries for girls, blue for boys, etc... I feel like we are placing so many expectations on very young children and when they feel different from hose expectations it can be very difficult.  

      The Human Rights Campaign has an alarming statistic that states nearly half of  transgender male teens have attempted suicide and 29.9 percent of transgender female teens have attempted suicide. This makes me so angry to read that children are being made to feel that their gender matters so much to others that they can’t live any more. No child should ever have to feel like suicide is a better option than living their truth. I truly hope we can all be like the mom in this article and learn to accept all ideas of gender. 

Here is a link to a trailer for a documentary that I really loved on this subject. If you have a spare hour and a half, it is incredible and worth a watch! 

Unlearning the myths that bind us

As most of you know who have been reading my blog, I have a daughter. So I was SO happy to read this piece this week.  I too have a bone to pick with cartoons and just kids stories general. Most of them are AWFUL. And especially, as the author states, the older ones. I refuse to let my daughter watch any of those old timey cartoons because of the gross racism and sexism involved. 

     The author made some really wonderful progress with her students, which gives me hope that maybe we can undo all the damage done by these stereo types. When we simply point out the racism and injustices, kids are more likely than not, to see it and share observations that they found in a very articulate manner. The author also states that it is troubling to realize how much of your psyche has been manipulated by the media, but once you see it, you really can’t unsee it. Like taking blinders off. Another reason I think this class is so important is because it is training us to see those injustices and call them out, just as the author was doing with her students.  

     Another thing this author did that I loved was that she was teaching her students to go beyond the role of “keyboard warrior” and actually taking action. Don’t get me wrong, I think writing is important but, it doesn’t get as much done as strong action. 

     What children read and watch really does effect them. I always watch movies before I let my daughter watch them (she’s still young enough that if I can shield her from garbage than why not?), and I have found many of the princess films troubling. Disney really has a lot to undo in that department. Of course as a child I watched them, and it probably did change my opinion of myself as a girl. I hope to raise my daughter with as little of those stigmas as possible. Luckily, we are seeing a massive shift in the media to portray woman as equals to men. One movie my daughter likes to watch LITERALLY every day is Moana. Yes, watching the same movie every day is a tad annoying, but I love the message of Moana. It is easy to digest for children and Moana is not a princess, and has no love interest. She is a young girl who is trying to save her Island. She is never portrayed as a damsel in distress. It’s really a great movie. And Disney hired Polynesian actors and musicians to keep it culturally accurate. If they can keep making movies like this, I would be happy to take Luna to see them. Here’s a little snippet of one of the scenes in Moana.