Week 4: Women's Studies

I've been thinking about Women's Studies since last semester, because my roommates are very involved in the department and with the Women's Center. We often talk about issues, and I find myself reading things and being interested in them more than my own coursework, haha. I would be really interested to take the Body and Image class, because I think our society has a very warped idea of beauty, and we are on a path that could lead to no one being content with themselves. Cosmetic Surgeory frightens me, personally, as do women's faces once they've had work done on them. Creepy. I also am interested in taking the Women Writers course since I'm in the English department.

I am thinking about being a teacher, which is a female dominated career. My first job was at a daycare in which I had no male co-workers except for the directors son. It can be difficult for males to get childcare jobs because of fear of pedophelia, and I think this is sad because children also need male role models. I also don't like the fact that men are found suspicious in such roles, because I'm women are also capable of being sexual offenders. I have also been a cashier and drive-thru attendant, in which our roles in the fast food industry were based on gender. The cooks and packers were generally male, as well as the dishwashers. I could always get the guys to take out the trash for me, as well. My female co-workers and I were the pretty faces that everyone got to see and deal with.

Readings: I didn't really know about feminism still being a struggle until I got to campus. I met a lot of socially and politically active girls that encouraged me to be involved. In highschool all the girls I knew were constant volunteers, and I am sad that I haven't been as able to do so much in my community here in Norman. It is strange that women so often dominate volunteer roles. I think this demonstrates the idea that women are supposed to be giving and compassionate, which is ridiculous. I know plenty that are not, and many men who are.

Relationships are also stressful to women during college. Women worry about going through all the schooling then getting married and having children. Will they stay at home with their kids, even though they've become so career-oriented? Oftentimes in the workplace women are expected to hold their career over their family, and I think this something America desperately has wrong with it. America is full of crazy workaholics, and people need to realize the relationships in your life are equally important and necessary. This puts more stress on women because for some reason they are seen to be responsible for house, kids, and thier jobs, whereas men's main responsibility is their job alone. This put undue stress on women