Josephine Bingler - Final Response

          At first, I didn't really think much of each student presenting their research topic to the class but after hearing them all, it was amazing to see what interested each of us the most and how we decided to explore that. I found John's topic very interesting. I was very surprised and appalled that only 2% of Sports center is dedicated to Women's sports highlights. In high school, I remember how much of a struggle it was to get fans to our soccer games compared to the boy’s team who always had full stands. The boys’ games were always so much competitive and fights broke out which is why they seemed to draw a bigger crowd. The worst was seeing people cheer on the fights and giving positive reinforcement to the players that received red cards for punching the other in the face. For us, "cat fights" on the field were incredibly frowned upon. This speaks directly to the two very different societal expectations of each gender. I was amazed at how early gendering starts. As a tutor in an elementary school, I can't help but observe how differently the little boys and girls are treated. It is even reflected in their uniforms, which for girls is a dress, which completely restricts their play activities.

            This class has completely shifted the way I view media and its impact on our society. One of my favorite assignments was our presentation on either children's shows or parenthood in the media. My friends always roll their eyes when I watch TV with them because I can't help but point out every enforced gender role. It is amazing how much our media propels women towards motherhood and life in the private sphere while pushing men away from the family and into the business world. I think I was most shocked by the commercials for Swiffer that portray women as loving their housework as they dance around in heels and smile while scrub the kitchen floor. This relates to Gracie's topic around how media portrays women and birth. I was amazed at how society makes hospital birth the norm and the safest option, ignoring water or at home births. The way media glamorizes motherhood is pretty disturbing considering how many women die in childbirth.

            I leave this class with a very, very different view on our society. I see our world through a much more critical and gendered lens. This class was incredibly engaging and I enjoyed our class discussions. While I am now stuck in a habit on analyzing the Disney movies I know and love, TV commercials, and music videos, I am thankful that this class opened my eyes and provoked many thoughts about why we think like we do and how our social roles and gender roles are constructed.