Who is to blame?

Not too long ago I learned of the Steubenville rape case and its aftermath.  At first glance, the case seemed just like any other rape case but as I researched further the story became more intricate and not to mention more disgusting.  The girl was intoxicated and two boys took advantage of her and raped her multiple times.  Sounds straight forward right?  Just wait there is more. Their friends were there and one even video taped some of the action, but the most disturbing part of this whole thing was that the friends never stopped the two boys.  Why didnt the friends stop them? Why was the girl intoxicated in the first place? Why were teenagers driving around the city at like 3 in the morning.  Where were the parents? The most important question though is who is to be held responsible.

 I believe the blame does not fall on one individual but rather it falls on a collection of individuals.  It might seem that the two boys should take the whole load but I think the girl should be held accountable as well.  If she hadn't been so foolish and intoxicated herself, none of this would have happened.  Also, the parents and friends should take some blame too because they could have easily stopped it if they had been more aware and responsible.  Also, society itself plays a factor as well because from a young age boys are bred to strive for dominance and power.  The act of rape isn't really about the guy wanting to have intercourse, but rather he wants to feel dominant over another being.  In order to stop these things it is a necessity that we as a society must change our perception of masculinity and how we see not only ourselves but the people around us.  

http://www.flickr.com/photos/deeplifequotes/7489160960/sizes/o/in/photostream/

Women In Power

Today i read a rather old article that talked about the miraculous story of congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords.  I am pretty sure most of you have heard about her story but just in case heres a summary.  Two years ago on January 8 an armed man entered a shopping center in Tucson Arizona and shot a total of nineteen people during a political event.  One of these people included the congresswoman who was shot at close range in the head and many believed it to be a "death shot".  However, Giffords would eventually recover thanks to surgery and although she is not completely healed, she is lucky to be alive. 

Why I am Writing About This Story...

I chose to write about this article because i believe Giffords incident justifies the idea that women are becoming more influential in our nation's politics.  Many of you may wonder what the heck I'm talking about, but just hear me out.  Look at the ratio between men and women in high elected political positions and you will see that men far outnumber the women.  However, in the recent years more women are showing up on the voting ballots but even that number still is minuscule.  Examples of such women would be Linda Lingle who became the first female governor of Hawaii and in 2007 Nancy Pelosi who became the first female in history to hold the position as speaker of the house.  What I am trying to get to is that women are slowly but surely becoming more influential in politics.  There are still people in the crowd who think women shouldn't deserve such positions or equal opportunities but the world is changing and we as a society must change with it.  I think the next big step for women's political equality would be a women elected as president.  Although this might not happen for a while, when it does happen it will represent a change not only for this country, but for the whole world.  

My First Crirtique

Recently I read a friend's blog and was impressed about his usage of pictures and his organization.  He also incorporated personal experiences into his writing and justified his opinions with specific examples.  His blog is simple but effective and his writing style is persuasive and humorous at the same time.

What I Thought...
At first glance, you might assume that his blog is a tad kiddish because of his cute and playful pictures, but if you actually read what he has to say I assure you that you will realize something you never thought before.  My favorite part of his blog was when he talked about his own personal experience about growing into a man.  I believe many of you will be able to relate to his story and agree with the points he brings up.  I was impressed when he talked about how media and technology has influenced our society and is changing our mindsets as individuals.  He brings up good points and examples about the role of women in society and how they are still fighting for equality.  I think everyone will find the picture of the man and the women in the mirror very funny and true.  This I believe is a prime example of a picture speaking louder than words.  My friend also talked about several stereotypes that society puts on both men and women including what things are defined as beautiful.  I would definitely urge you to check out his blog because although it might seem like nothing to you, defining a man from a boy or a woman from a girl is important and my friend does a good job answering this question.        

 My friend's blog
 http://mikeinwomenlit.tumblr.com/

My Definitions

Boy

I define a boy as a male who lacks maturity in a physical and mental sense.  When i say they lack physical maturity I mean they have not hit puberty yet.  Boys are also pretty immature when it comes to things such as kissing and other male and female interactions.  Also, boys are very dependent on their peers even if they think differently.

Girl

My definition of a girl is a young female who lacks physical maturity and isn't really worried about what other people think about her appearance.  Just like boys, girls begin their transformation from a girl to a woman during puberty.  Therefore any young female who has reached puberty yet is automatically defined as a girl.  Also unlike woman, girls aren't really worried too much about the way they look in front of their peers. 

Man

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cocoen/1065306490/

I would describe a man as a mature male who possesses the "manly" body features and is able to act as an adult when the situation calls for it.  One difference between a boy and a man is that they have slightly different views about females. Men view their counterparts with much more respect and unlike boys, men usually express their soft side around girls.  Also, men are more mentally mature than boys and usually think about the consequences to their actions.

Woman

http://www.flickr.com/photos/didmyself/6462306269/

I define a woman as a mature female who understands who she is and has developed what society calls "womanly" features.   She is mature enough to talk about sex and other serious matters without giggling or acting in a childish manner.  This applies to being a man too.  Also, she develops both an understanding of what society expects of her and a sense of independence.   

The Real Enemy

Background
In 2011 an article was published about a mom forcing her child to wax her eyebrows.  At that time, the girl was only five years old and she and the mom were on the reality show, " Toddlers and Tiaras."  Although this might seem as a  harmless act to some individuals, many people not only criticized but looked unfavorably down on this act.  Many commented about how blown away they were and how sick they were about the whole idea of young girls focusing on their appearance at such a young age.
Why it's wrong
You know something is wrong when the majority of the population are shaking their heads and questioning the person's judgement.  This act justifies the idea of what is accepted and not accepted for women in today's society.  The mom believed that waxed eyebrows fit the guidelines as to what society sees as beauty. In her mind she was so focused on this idea of beauty that she threw away the safety of her daughter.
Who is the real enemy?
Although we can point the finger at the mom, the real danger is the pressure created by our society.  Individuals are so pressured to meet the standards of society that they sometimes jeopardize the safety and well being of not only themselves but the people around them as well. We are so driven sometimes to acquire these set of standards that we resort to do anything to reach it.  For guys, we use formulas and pills to help us grow big muscles because society encourages it.  For girls, they see models and dancers and so they link beauty with being skinny.

The article link:
http://www.bellasugar.com/Toddler-Gets-Her-Eyebrows-Waxed-Beauty-13254506

Through The Eyes Of Society

The Breadwinner
Although times are changing and the equality of women are improving, there is still an assumption that men are the "breadwinners" in the family.  This also means that society still views men as the head of the family.  Some even go so far as to say that the men are more important than women for the well-being of the family rather than treating them as equals.
Sports
Also, society still categorizes what sports are considered to be girly or manly.  People who break this assumption are not only criticized but more importantly sometimes looked down upon by their peers.  For example, society still sometimes views gymnastics as a girly sport even though the males who do it are often very athletic.
Growing up
At a young age, children experience their first taste of peer pressure.  As they grow up, this peer pressure begins to affect their idea of femininity and masculinity.  They begin to learn what's "accepted" of being either a man or a women and some of these mindsets stick with them for the rest of their lives.  Therefore gender assumptions will continue in our society and equality will never be reached.
Clean vs Dirty
Society still often depicts men as being dirty and messy and women being clean freaks.  Women and cleanliness are often associated with each other because women stereotypically are most often viewed as the person who cleans the house, does the laundry, and makes sure everything is nice and organized.  On the other hand, men are often linked to b.o. and carelessness.