How it ends?...

     So I had been contemplating on what to write about for my last blog post. I finally decided I'm going to do it on an update of and earlier post 'Relationships Ups and Downs'. I've decided I would update you on how my sister and her ex-boyfriends relationship ended up. When I previously posted  about it, it was about 2 months after the breakup and there was so much back and forth which involved a lot of drama. I had kept my self out of all of it and had said nothing, until I was told my sisters ex was going to delete me on facebook for whatever reason. So I put my two cents in there, he responded with nothing other then deleting me.
     Well Thanksgiving break came along and as I said before he wanted to see her. She gave in very easily and agreed. I could tell she missed him and wanted to get back together with him, yet he was still confused for whatever reason and kept saying he didn't know what he wanted to do.
     Well as of today I have been trying to avoid it all because I feel like having been there for my sister has back fired on me. She tells me they are working it out even though he is back at school which is out of  state. That is as much as I know, being she doesn't tell me as much now that she has him back. In a way I guess I don't know hot to completely feel about it, like I don't want to accept him back into our family because of everything he has put my family through and especially my sister.
     I was told he is scared of me and wants to talk to me, having already talked with my parents.  I know the only way I will ever forgive him is if we do talk. I just feel I should be able to drill him and ask what I want, since my sister didn't get many answers out of him. Overall I guess I just want to know for myself so that I can be happy for my sister and feel that she can maybe trust him. What do you think and how would you maybe have handled it?!
  

Reality TV: "Real Housewives"

     When searching the Internet I came across this article. Author Jennifer Pozner writes about reality TV shows and how they interpret 'women' to be. I feel she hit dead on in this article. I do watch a lot of reality TV, but hadn't watched much of the Real Housewives of wherever shows. So I took a minute to watch a few clips from those shows and I personally feel majority of the shows are ridiculous! I feel it is pretty much other women (Mothers) who are for the most part trying to live as if they were still in their youth years. There was one episode in particular with a group of the Housewives around ones pool and acting very immature. The owner of the houses daughter was present and it got to the point where she went in the house because she was so embarrassed of her Mothers behavior. I just know if that were my Mom I would have to look at her as more of a friend not as a Mother figure at all, because of her actions.
     In the article Jennifer Pozner goes on to talking about how the women on these reality TV shows are perceived to be dumb blonde's. I couldn't agree more with this statement because I feel it is so true. Whether or not if this is degrading the women population, these reality shows will still be seen on TV regardless. Reason being that so many of us women do watch these reality shows. Whether it does down grade women or not, it is most likely the women population that is keeping these shows on TV. If you would like to take a look at the article go to http://www.womensenews.org/story/books/101203/reality-tv-does-real-hit-job-womens-brains

Chat Roulette

So, my friend and I heard about a video on youtube called "Show Me Your Peacock." The video was pretty much making fun of chatroulette.com. Take a look at the video... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHXIxhNaz2s. Anyway we thought we would take a look at chat roulette and see what it is all about. I guess we didn't think it was as bad as we thought it would be, there were actually some normal people on there that you could hold a conversation with. Rather then people showing us intimate acts that we defiantly didn't prefer to see. The site is a bit overwhelming all in all, not knowing who or what will be on the next screen. However, I could see this website taking off and opening another door for people to communicate with one another and for you to meet new people, all through the use of webcam and actual verbal chat! What do you think?

Kenya's Sex-workers

          When searching the internet for something to write about for this post I came across this article that caught my eye. Take a look http://womennewsnetwork.net/ the article from November 18th titled "Sex-workers get second chance at life with microloans in Kenya." Of all people and with the way society is formed with the rich having so much power. It suprised me to see that loans would be given to not just the poor but poor women who work at prostitutes!! I think it is such a great thing but just something very rare to see. Things like this should be done more often around the world. Helping people in need around the world that are putting themselves and their families in risk just to make some form of income!
          The article also talks about gender empowerment. With hopes that while providing more opportunities to the women of Kenya that it will allow for them to move up in society. Most of these women too being single mothers raising their children on their own. So I think this would be a great direction for all these sex-workers from Kenya to move in providing them with a better and more hopeful future for them and their families!

Evaluation of Gender and Culture

I found this article online, and I felt it lays out exactly what we have talked about in class about gender norms. Take a look for yourself http://knol.google.com/k/renee-jacques/lost-a-breakthrough-in-media-portrayal/3cwnpcjif85bq/4#

Relationships Ups and Downs

So my younger sister is going through a breakup with a boyfriend of two years. It was pretty much her first major relationship, and she took it pretty hard. He ended up ending it because he went to college out of state, so they really never saw each other. Well now having been about 2 months since there breakup there has been so much drama with it. He was keeping in contact with her since the breakup and she ended up telling him it was to hard for her and that she couldn't talk to him until she really got over it. There has been so much more then just that, that has went on. Well anyways, she is finally moving on and he calls her the other night after they had a huge fight about all of it and he says he wants to see her over thanksgiving break since it will be the first time he has been home since august. She tells me they are going to 'talk'. I guess I just don't want it to start all over again and see her get hurt once again. I feel as if guys just have something within them that makes them so strong and tough that they can even put girls through this. Girls on the other hand have such soft emotions it takes such a different tole on us. She says she won't go back to him, but I just feel him and most guys in general know how to turn things around, and that he could get her to change her mind. I hope not and if so I just hope everything works out for the best of them! And pray that I don't need to see my sister go through it all again.

Ladies Night...

So some of my friends and I were talking over breakfast this morning about ladies night at the bars. We were talking how there is no guys night, and why that is, more in a joking way. But really though why isn't there, we were saying because with ladies night it brings the guys out so it helps the bars out in the long run. Whereas if there was a guys night we weren't so sure if that would get all the ladies out. Something we just found interesting and had the guys complaining about since there is two different nights for ladies night and the guys never get to drink for free! Being a girl I found it kind of funny but I defiantly see where the guys are coming from!

Sonny and Cher's Daughter and now Son

I was watching, I believe, Access Hollywood the other day and they were talking with Cher's Daughter Chastity, who has now changed to a man and new name is Chaz. It was very interesting and Chas talked about how he just felt from the inside he was starting to change his voice was becoming lower and that he was getting hair in places he normally didn't get hair. Now after having changed his outside appearance looking like a man, he says, "makes him feel much better about himself." Chaz talked little about how his Mom felt about the change, but didn't want to talk for her so didn't go to in depth.

Full House

So, I was watching Full House today and DJ and Stephanie went on a double date. At the end of their date they boys walked them to the door. DJ was talking to the guy she was with, while Stephanie sat on a bench with her date. Stephanie said to him, "You know what I would like us to do right now?" He responds, "You want me to teach you how to throw a curve call?!" So Stephanie proceeded by giving him a kiss, not what her date was expecting. I just thought that was funny, because I defiantly feel that is something common. The girls being more emotional wanting a good night kiss, and the guy whose mind is always wandering not thinking about that at all but rather something like sports.

Life

While in one of my classes today we were talking about society and how society incorporates people with disabilities. A classmate made a statement, that well working in the special ed room of a middle school, a boy who she was working with (who has an IQ of an eight year old) was playing with barbies. The teacher in the room noticed and yelled at him and said, "that boys don't play with barbies, go get a toy car." I was shocked to hear that. Gender Norms are more and more common that I guess I should have expected that it is occurring in special ed. I just feel with special ed they may be further behind with what is going on in society, and they don't see things like that or even see anything wrong with it! When really nothing should be wrong with it, its just all part of the gender norming present in society.

Halloween

So another Halloween weekend has gone by, and of course got to see plenty of Halloween costumes. Many of the guy costumes I saw were funny and nothing to over the top! Then of course the girl costumes showing off as much skin possible, there were however few respectful outfits but most having nothing to them. My favorite guy costume was probably the ghost buster guy and the worst girls costume I saw was probably Snooki from Jersey Shore. It looked like a shirt with and opening in the front, very very revealing!

Topless

Talking in class yesterday got me thinking how would society react if girls started going topless. Would society eventually just become accustomed to it? I can recall when I was a kid probably 3rd or 4th grade my family would always travel for my brothers soccer tournaments. My brother would have been in either 5th or 6th grade. We would always let another family friend/girl from his team drive with us. After some of the tournaments we would do some fun activities such as going to the zoo or back to the motel to swim. One time when we went swimming this girl, that would always be with us, went topless with just shorts. I remember thinking that was wrong for a girl to do that, and I guess the first thing that popped into my mind when I saw this was that I thought she must be lesbian. Assuming that she wants to be like guys. Turns out today she isn't lesbian and does date guys, so that must not be the case. Defiantly wouldn't see it like that now, considering there are so many topless beaches. I've just came to realize that some girls either like to strut their stuff or just feel more comfortable topless.

Commercials on Gender Norms

The other day in my Modern Social Problems class we were talking about gender norms. One of my friends was discussing what his views on it were and gave an examples of one of his experiences. He said he had been watching TV and a commercial came on and it was something about how this two girls were going to save the Prince. He stated how he himself was like wait that's wrong its supposed to be the other way around. Very interesting to see how often gender norming is present each day. 

Sex in America

Monday night on ABC Nightline they talked about a girls report gone wrong. This girl who wrote a report on her sex life ended up going public. This report having pictures, ratings, and what not on every guy she had slept with. She explains now that she didn't think it would go public and now she has a lot of explaining to do. It talks more on sex life in colleges and also talks about a guy Tucker Max who writes books on this subject. I couldn't believe one thing that was said at one of his book signings a girl asked him "how many booty calls have you had in your life?" Tucker compared that to how many beers have you drinked in your life. I thought this news clip was forward. Check it out for yourself http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/ the title of the clip is 'Debauchery on Campus?'

Sweetest Day

So, Sweetest Day was Saturday just another day where you can look at it as either spending even more money on your significant other, or doing or giving them something meaningful that they will remember. For me on Sweetest Day I did get my boyfriend just some little stuff, pretty much food and he told me he wasn't getting me anything, well he did he got me roses and chocolates. Then my brother needed some help, didn't know what he should get his girlfriend and was pretty much thinking that Sweetest Day is just another dumb excuse where you have to get your girlfriend yet another present. I told him he just shouldn't get her anything and he laughed and said you know she would be mad if I didn't get her anything. Well in the end he ended up spending $90 on her. I guess I just thought this was interesting seeing how it seems to be the guys spending more money on the girls and that the guys feel they have to get something regardless or the girl will be upset. My brother seemed to have a reaction to 'Sweetest Day' where there should be more 'guy days'. I guess my boyfriend is maybe just used to it all since we have been dating for several years. Just was curious on others thoughts of this holiday, is it a holiday, or is it just another day where we get to spend more money?

Proposals

So, I have decided I am going to write my paper on the gender norm that we most likely always see men proposing. When doing a little research for my paper I cam across a "Women Proposing to Men... Stories?" forum. I found it very interesting and it seemed to come from a men's point of view. Just thought I'd share. Take a look for yourself. http://www.pricescope.com/forum/proposal-ideas/women-proposing-to-men-stories-t41619.html Enjoy!

Gender Norms

With our paper being due right around the corner, I've really been thinking about what I want to write my paper on. So while walking home from class today, contemplating it, a girl passed me on a skateboard. Of course first thing that popped into my head was that is something you would normally only see guys doing, in my opinion. Then I recalled I had seen another girl on a skateboard the other day also. I don't know maybe it is becoming a new trend. I guess it is just something new to see being that you don't see it everyday especially when the girl was wearing a skirt. I thought that was pretty risky, she seemed quite confident on the board though. I just thought was something interesting and maybe there are more girls out there that do skate, maybe I just don't run into them as often. I give them props though I wish I had skills to do that!

Babys!

   So, my cousin is pregnant with her second child now, her first is a little girl Mackenzie who is now four. So of course the whole family was so excited to hear about the pregnancy and started getting all hyped up on whether it would be a boy or a girl! My cousin wants a boy being that she plans on only having two kids and would like one of each. I on the other hand am hoping for it to be a girl, just because I love Mackenzie and think it would be fun for her to have a little sister to play with. Well the day finally came last week and my cousin found out she will be having a BOY! She was so happy and I am very happy for her.
   Now here is the thing, I guess I really never knew that you normally only have a baby shower for your first child, but apparently thats how it goes. Well I say this, because being that my cousin is now having a boy and needs boy clothes, boy toys, and all the other boy things that come with it she feels she should have a baby shower for him. Granted she does have pretty much everything she would need for a new baby, however, most of that stuff is pink. My Mom of course put her opinion in and said no way you only have a baby shower for your first kid, and will get prensents for the boy when he is born. I feel that is true, but I just don't know what I would do in that position. What do you think?

The race to end Domestic Violence

I feel domestic violence is a major problem, even though it may not seem so in everyday life. More and more I personally feel it involves younger girls, being anywhere from high school to college age. I feel this article I found touches apon this. http://www.wcsh6.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=130639. I also feel it is a great thing what the Woman Care will be starting in February to help prevent domestic violence, and the support they give to past victims. I hope with organizations like such that we will see a decrease in the number of cases for domestic violence.

6-Year-Old Kicked Off Chearleading Squad

I found an article about 2 weeks ago and found it very interesting. I had some what of conflicting thoughts on what had happened. I felt terrible for the little girl who just enjoyed cheering and in the end gets kicked off her team for something she didn't even do wrong. I felt as if I would have also sided more with the mother of the little girl in this type of sitution. You would think the coaches of the team would have been a bit more respectful of what parents of the team opinions were. Take a look for yourself and see what you think!http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/year-kicked-off-cheerleading-squad-mom-questions-suggestive/story?id=11662300