Author: firdawce elharrab

Discussion #4

 

 Are we born equal? de we have the same rights as male and females ? are we offered the same tools to reach success ? is our language treating us male and females differently and unequally?

Identity terms and their existence in our daily life. As soon as I open my eyes in the morning and look at my phone to turn off the alarm I see CNN breaking news and their attractive titles: An African American men was arrested in a robbery, UN intervention in the third world countries to save the life on the children or be a mediator in politicals decision. 

”Third world, First world, Developing country, and Developed country have been problematized for their hierarchical meanings, where areas with more resources and political power are valued over those with fewer resources and less power (Silver 2015)”.

I wasn’t aware of these terms until I came to the United States of America. I started hearing African Americans, people of color, Latino or Latina, and other identity terms that characterized a specific demographic population. Since I come from Morocco that is considered a developing country because of lack of resources . I see myself surrounded by this term a lot  and even questioned a lot . How it is living in Morocco, do you have clean water ? do you have hungry kids in the street? my answer is always the same. do we have clean running water in  all America? no. do we have hungry kids? yes.

They are also other identity terms that I use a lot like the term Caucasian while filling forms and other paperwork. the term Immigrant for a  person who was born outside of the united states , and finally the term Women because my Biological body states that I’m a female. 

Feminist philosophers have analyzed and critic the language and its feminist philosophy and how it can contribute to representing the gender wrongfully and unequally. If we men and women can do the same job equality than language has to reflect that as well.

The invisibility of Women is one of the theories that stood out the most to me. Maybe because I’m a woman and I feel that the use of the language does not give me justice. It seems that women are always inferior to men.

for example the word of a master for men and mistress for a woman. we can’t say a master for a woman because it describing a powerful man, and the word mistress describing a weak woman with no courage or strength.

Another word that I can recall from the show called ”mankind, the story of us ”. It’s a great show that supposedly is about humankind and their evolution throughout these eras. This show is the greatest adventure of all time describing the history of the human race including women as well, but the title is reserve to men only because they hold the key to power.

I feel like words like these give a negative image of women and characterize them as followers ,weak, and never in a position of power while giving the men a positive and a strong image.

Firdawce Elharrab/ Gender Identity

Growing up in a middle-class family allowed me to juggle between my inner thirst for freedom and equality and my society where everything seemed to follow certain rules based on biology, sex orientation, genitalia, society, culture.

My family is one of the societal constitutions that influenced who I am today, how I feel about my gender, and how the members of my society see and expect me to behave and act. 

 From a young age, I got to taste the biological theory in my society and how it sets a clear distinction between the genders and their chromosome. The lucky one is the one with the XY because his life will be full of high expectations and higher societal roles for the rest of his life.

They were different expectations from my brothers and me within the family and the community.  All young girls need to stay virgins until marriage while men are free to do whatever they want because they need to be pure. I needed to learn how to maintain a household and take care of children while going to school, while my brothers were expected to be strong and never show weakness or even cry because only the girls who can cry.

How can we justify these norms? is it social learning or are we born with the gender expectations in our minds? 

According to Foss et.al., “Social Learning theory says you learned to be who you are by observing others, imitating them, and being rewarded or punished for certain behaviors” (13). Defrancisco further explains, “When gender behavior is modeled correctly, meaning it is consistent with sex identity, it is rewarded; if done incorrectly, it is punished. Particularly with children, this process of modeling, reinforcement, and punishment shapes gender/sex identities” (38).

A girl is destined to wear pink, play will doll, have long hair, smooth skin, wear makeup and look attractive, be the center of amusement, find a husband and take care of her family. While a boy can play with gun toys, be loud, fight to show strong personality, have short hair, never wear feminine colors like pink or listen to girl’s music if not he won’t be a man and might be called gay.

I was fortunate to go to a mixed school when boys and girls can study and interact with each other while others had to go to girls-only or boys-only schools. And since I have brothers, I was always trying to get more attention by planning my next step. No one dares to face a society where everyone has a designed role. Either you fit the norms, or you hide under the perfect image and do whatever you want in secrecy. It is very hard to break free from gender stereotyping even within the family. Growing up as a girl, I was giving everything I wanted if I acted accordingly. Talking with a low voice, always looking clean with my hair tight in the back, sitting properly and never crossing my legs like men would do in order not to show my vagina, smile, do my homework on time, and never run like a boy because it’s not appropriate.

 Cognitive development is another aspect where kids learn and develop their persona and character either with family, TV cartoons, media, school reinforced these aspects, and dig a deeper separation between a male and a female. Girls are the princesses waiting for their prince charming to rescue them because they cannot rescue themselves.  Boys are the heroes and the savers. I felt that I was older than my age, I always was debating in my head what is right and what is wrong, always questioning everything around me. As a grew older and specialty when I become a teenager, I could not bear seeing the gender exclusion in my society. Yes, I was lucky that my dad and my mom were very open to changes and me questioning the world. So I decided to find a way to have a more positive impact in myself, to have a better chance in life, not to fall into the system’s gender stereotyping, and end up being married with children and depending on my husband financially. The only way out was to study and that is what I did, while my girlfriends were in search of husbands I was in search of schools, internships, and independence.

when I met my husband, I did not know how to cook or clean properly, or should I say ” How a woman is expected to take these roles and be good at them ”. My husband was and still the better cook even my four-year-old said: mummy I like when daddy cooks, it tastes better’’.Maybe that is my inner revolt against society putting a woman and a man into a certain frame and assigning their roles and duties.

Moving to the United States was a big step for me and my dreams of equality, liberty, and finding my inner self, but with time I discovered that we too as a diverse community suffers from gender stereotyping. Gender’s influence is Omni-present as it intersects with race, sexuality, social and economic class, culture, and physical ability. The only way to overcome this challenge is to be financially powerful to have a say in the community or to have powerful knowledge to make a difference and to have a positive impact as well.

Firdawce Gender Institutional Artifact “Legally Blonde”

Media and especially today’s movies reflect the social behavior and the impact of gender when it interacts with race, sexuality, social or economic class, backgrounds, and physical ability in both sexes’ male and female. Legally Blonde Movie is one of the many movies that identify with the society gender bias and reflects how we treat and communicate with each other based on sex and body parts.

Discussion #7

Every person regardless of their gender, age, backgrounds, and culture seek validation at the workplace, but when faced with different obstacles that make it harder to get promoted, to get noticed by the bosses to ask for a raise, one feels discouraged and unable to move forward.

I will be examining the following the stereotyping against women and blonde based on the following movie released in 2001, and social reinforcement of these ideas.

”Legally Blonde movie :
Reese Witherspoon stars as Elle Woods, a sorority girl who attempts to win back her ex-boyfriend, played by Matthew Davis, by getting a Juris Doctor degree at Harvard Law School, and in the process, overcome stereotypes against blondes and triumphs as a successful lawyer.”

a-The sexual harassment of ”Elle” in the workplace because she is a blonde female. Sexism and harassment in the workplace is an issue I see omi-present every day.

The assumption has men have more power, more knowledge, and always have a higher position is seen as a normal thing because that’s the way it supposes to be and that’s what the social norms are. When men hold the power they are allowed to harass women and pressure them to accept flirting, unwanted advances, and or gifts.

Women have to work even harder to obtain a promotion or a raise. I even was told once: Why do you need a raise, don’t you have a husband who takes care of your family? I’m certain that a man will never be asked the same question just because he is a man.

b-Workplace inequality toward women and the assumption that women are incapable of being a leader. Sex and gender identity reflect a lot of complex issues within our society. Just because your sex and physiology show masculine body parts like penis, hairy legs and arms, deep voice tone doesn’t necessary means that the gender has to reflect the same, and on the other hand, having a reproductive female system, short body and soft voice can’t mean that one is a woman. A person’s sex, as determined by his or her biology, does not always correspond with his or her gender, but is more related to how one feels comfortable in their body, and that this men or woman’s body part represents who they are as an individual and an active member of the society. This can have a positive or a negative impact on the job, for example, men have more chances to ask for a raise and to get promoted in the workplace while women have to work much harder to get noticed.

c-Stereotype bias where women are described as caring, sensitive, weak while men are strong and hold the power. These descriptions can portray an unfit between the personality a woman is supposed to have and has.

d- Cultural capital by comparing the character played by Reese Witherspoon” Elle Woods” and the character played by Selma Blair ”Vivian Kensington”.

Culture capital and backgrounds can also have a huge impact on one’s perception of men or a woman and their gender roles within society and at the workplace. Education, intellect, style of speech, dress, or physical appearance can influence the gender ‘s image and its reflection of society. ”Elle” character was always wearing pink dresses, hair bows, she has a small dog. Her upcoming from a wealthy background enabled her a lot of privileges like going to Harvard School, affording a nice lifestyle, and nice manicure all the time. All these characteristics reflect a soft stylish and well-spoken female. 

The history proofs that Since the creation of men and women on earth until now, the division of labor has been organized according to gender roles and, consequently, some types of activity are considered more appropriate for men while others jobs are allotted to women.

The evolution of technology and social media has helped shape our minds and thinking a certain way, but if we educate ourselves and treat each other respectfully based on merit and human rights we will be on the right path to a homogenous society.

Discussion #2

My Identity MapMy Updated Identity Map

Going through this chapter has been challenging for me, I come from a place where gender bias is very present every day. Women and men are considered the complete opposite of each other and they never complete each other either. Men are the leader and women are the supporter and the nurturer behind the scenes.

Analyzing the diagram was pretty fascinating. ”, sex, gender, and sexuality interlace” diagram was the one that stood out the most to me. It’s really simple yet full of information that anyone can understand easily.

The values that shape who am I today and who I will be tomorrow are Family, Optimistic, and Ambition, as well as female. I was under the impression that the gender binary system existed in the third country world only, but to my surprise, I see it and leave it at work and within the society as well. Race, social class, gender are and will still be present as long as we believe in them and we don’t feel that we are all different but unique and we can learn from each other.

being a female and going through the struggles of gender bias made me even stronger and more ambitious to realize my dreams and to push more and more no matter what obstacles I faced. I strongly believe that each person’s personality and characters are the molds of society and family. I come from a family of four siblings where competition is always a key to get more and more attention. I’m the first one in my family to go to college, there is a huge indirect pressure on me to succeed and do well in my life.

Optimism and ambition have a huge impact I’m daily life, looking at the bright side of any problem make a big difference in how we can deal and survive bigger struggles and survive.

Life is beautiful if we think and feel beautiful.

Looking to grow and do better in life without fear and taking risks can you be looked at reckless and not happy with my life. But I still persevere no matter what people’s opinions can be.

lastly, my family.who can support you better than your family? They are my backbone and my spinal cord. I have a beautiful that I’m thankful for every day. Looking at the daughter’s and my son’s face every day makes every struggle and every dream worth the effort and the sacrifice I’m going through.

Journal Entry #2

Gender Binary system and its influence in our society.

‘’ The gender binary system defines the existence of two opposite gender, race, and class, black and white. Masculine and feminine. Rich and poor. Straight and gay. Able-bodied and disabled’’.

Male and female,  are the genders accepted by society, anyone who doesn’t fit these characteristics will be considered abnormal and will be pushed away from the society unless he or she can adjust her body to be normal according to the norms that were decided within the community.

According to Gayle Rubin (1984), “the link between biological sex, social gender, and sexual attraction are products of culture’’. Each induvial role is decided based on her or his physiology even before birth. As soon as the parents know that they will be having a baby girl or a baby boy, they will be making decisions accordingly. A room can be painted pink or blue, baby shower themes must match with the baby’s gender, gifts, toys, and outfits follow the sale rule.

eventually and we all grow up with the idea that woman is destined to nurture and to care for their families while men have more power to decide and are always the house leader.

The gender binary system is present in every aspect of life, home, work, relationships, family. I believe that its graved into our head. When I think about changing a light bulb or moving my bed, I always think that I ask my husband to do it because unconsciously I feel that his body is stronger even if I can do it. The culture and the community’s impact is huge and can reshape our thinking and behavior positively or negatively.

The binary system considered the existence of the black and white race in America only. What about the rest of the population and minorities: Spanish, Asian, Arabs …? I believe that the concept of the social class and the Cultural capital will have a huge impact on integrating them into the society.

According to the late sociologist Pierre Bourdieu (1984) ‘’non-monetary class differences such as tastes in food and music or knowledge of high culture’’ will influence the integration of these nonwhite population and eventually considering them as White population and vital part of the society like what happened with the Irish and the Jewish population.

Can we embrace our differences, consider them as unique, look beyond races, social class, other identities, and reduce our difference to simple binaries? Or is it simply said but never done.

 

 

 

 

 

discussion #3

Discussion #3 Chart

As men and women, we are conditioned to behave, act, talk and create in certain ways depending on the norms of our society and community. and if we don’t follow these commands we risk to be rejected.

Social learning theory and cultural theories are the first learning aspects that we endure as a child and we see is as a normal behavior toward certain aspects of life since our parents act the same way as well. Girls are supposed to be shy, quiet, play with dolls, learning how to nurture and take care of babies, as well as playing with cooking tools. While boys are meant to be loud, running around the house, and playing with toy guns and construction tools to build their personality and make them stronger as ahead of the household in the future.

I can admit that my body parts reflect the exact image and reflection of the social characteristics of these fundamentals, and it’s really hard to overcome them. I followed these command performances since birth and I never felt that it was abnormal until I become a teenager but afraid of being rejected I grew an inner voice of rage and disappointment toward my society and decide to pursue my education to have a positive impact on my family and my community.

Also, Body Politics and Gender Performativity have affected my persona as a woman since my destiny was to menstruate, get married, give birth, and nurse my children. Suppressing my dreams and my intentions to have or change the women and danger perspective within my community. Women are and will still be obsessed with their beautiful bodies and images and will do whatever it takes to look more and more attractive.

It has been very difficult to refuse a command performance, as a middle-class woman with kids and a full-time job, I can admit that refusing a command performance is one of my worries since I still need to provide for myself and my family, but I still can refuse it in an indirect political way without harming myself by expressing my opinion on certain issues at work as a woman when the boss is a man and is expected to be correct all the time.

 

Journal #3

Physiology, family, society has a huge influence on our persona and the person we become today.

Body politics and disciplining gendered bodies were the first aspects that caught my eyes because I can relate to them so much. Stereotyping based on Physiology and body starts from birth until the adult’s life.

Perceptions of bodies and their reflection on our social image have become very important. Women need to have a slim proportional figure, small hands, neat fingernails, talk with a lower voice, skinny and soft legs that what’s called being feminine. I always remember being a little girl and my mom was always concern about my way of acting around people, I need to sit properly never crossing my legs, or sitting next to a male figure except for my dad, while my brothers were running all over the place showing their free spirit. At the end of any ceremony or event, I would get a pink doll and my brothers would get toy guns as a reward.

On the other hand, men need to show more masculinity by having big and strong body parts, muscles, loud voice. I wonder if women have strong muscle, loud voice if even she has a physiology of women would she still be looked at as a woman or as a man? or she will be rejected by  society just because she not following the norms that another human lay down as a characteristic for being feminine.”People who identify as women are encouraged to be continually aware of their bodies as they prune, pose, provide sexual gratification, menstruate, give birth, and nurse children. People who identify as men tend to experience their bodies as a double bind: They dare not pay too much attention to their bodies for fear of appearing effeminate (Gill, Henwood, &McLean, 2005)”.

Another interesting aspect is objectification ”occurs when people are viewed as objects existing solely for the pleasure of the viewer, rather than as agents capable of action”. I believe most women are looked at an object on pleasure and need to look great all the time. every morning I spent around thirty minutes doing my hair and my make up to look decent while my husband takes Five minutes to get ready.  It gets frustrating sometimes but I can’t help it because I have to look a certain way before leaving the house. I do feel that the forth aspect is Attractiveness, we are all attractive to specific body shapes, beautiful faces, muscular men, skinny and beautiful women. As described in the book ” normative physical appearance that is seen as pleasing, beautiful, and sexually appealing. The norm of attractiveness that merges beauty and sexuality “moves sexuality into the public realm . . . and thereby[makes it] amenable to inspection, definition, social monitoring, and control” (Travis et al., 2000, p. 239).

today’s market has put specific characters on how a beautiful woman should look like and therefore they spent a lot of money buying cosmetics and going through surgeries to fit and be beautiful.

why, can’t we all feel and look beautiful the way we were, and just embrace it? without trying to look like Angelina Jolie or Brad pit.

Discussion #2

My Identity MapMy Updated Identity Map

Going through this chapter has been challenging for me, I come from a place where gender bias is very present every day. Women and men are considered the complete opposite of each other and they never complete each other either. Men are the leader and women are the supporter and the nurturer behind the scenes.

Analyzing the diagram was pretty fascinating. ”, sex, gender, and sexuality interlace” diagram was the one that stood out the most to me. It’s really simple yet full of information that anyone can understand easily.

The values that shape who am I today and who I will be tomorrow are Family, Optimistic, and Ambition, as well as female. I was under the impression that the gender binary system existed in the third country world only, but to my surprise, I see it and leave it at work and within the society as well. Race, social class, gender are and will still be present as long as we believe in them and we don’t feel that we are all different but unique and we can learn from each other.

being a female and going through the struggles of gender bias made me even stronger and more ambitious to realize my dreams and to push more and more no matter what obstacles I faced. I strongly believe that each person’s personality and characters are the molds of society and family. I come from a family of four siblings where competition is always a key to get more and more attention. I’m the first one in my family to go to college, there is a huge indirect pressure on me to succeed and do well in my life.

Optimism and ambition have a huge impact I’m daily life, looking at the bright side of any problem make a big difference in how we can deal and survive bigger struggles and survive.

Life is beautiful if we think and feel beautiful.

Looking to grow and do better in life without fear and taking risks can you be looked at reckless and not happy with my life. But I still persevere no matter what people’s opinions can be.

lastly, my family.who can support you better than your family? They are my backbone and my spinal cord. I have a beautiful that I’m thankful for every day. Looking at the daughter’s and my son’s face every day makes every struggle and every dream worth the effort and the sacrifice I’m going through.

Journal entry #2

Gender Binary system and its influence in our society.

‘’ The gender binary system defines the existence of two opposite gender, race, and class, black and white. Masculine and feminine. Rich and poor. Straight and gay. Able-bodied and disabled’’.

Male and female,  are the genders accepted by society, anyone who doesn’t fit these characteristics will be considered abnormal and will be pushed away from the society unless he or she can adjust her body to be normal according to the norms that were decided within the community.

According to Gayle Rubin (1984), “the link between biological sex, social gender, and sexual attraction are products of culture’’. Each induvial role is decided based on her or his physiology even before birth. As soon as the parents know that they will be having a baby girl or a baby boy, they will be making decisions accordingly. A room can be painted pink or blue, baby shower themes must match with the baby’s gender, gifts, toys, and outfits follow the sale rule.

eventually and we all grow up with the idea that woman is destined to nurture and to care for their families while men have more power to decide and are always the house leader.

The gender binary system is present in every aspect of life, home, work, relationships, family. I believe that its graved into our head. When I think about changing a light bulb or moving my bed, I always think that I ask my husband to do it because unconsciously I feel that his body is stronger even if I can do it. The culture and the community’s impact is huge and can reshape our thinking and behavior positively or negatively.

The binary system considered the existence of the black and white race in America only. What about the rest of the population and minorities: Spanish, Asian, Arabs …? I believe that the concept of the social class and the Cultural capital will have a huge impact on integrating them into the society.

According to the late sociologist Pierre Bourdieu (1984) ‘’non-monetary class differences such as tastes in food and music or knowledge of high culture’’ will influence the integration of these nonwhite population and eventually considering them as White population and vital part of the society like what happened with the Irish and the Jewish population.

Can we embrace our differences, consider them as unique, look beyond races, social class, other identities, and reduce our difference to simple binaries? Or is it simply said but never done.

 

 

 

Discussion #1

Hello Professor Brianne and classmates, I’m very excited to take this class and learn more about how to manage the gender’s influence, its huge impact on our society, and how to have a positive and active role in our community. I came to the united states to realize my dream of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I was always very intrigued by the declaration of independence and how I can live a life without any judgment or restrictions.

As a mother of two children, with a full-time job. I try to show a good example to my kids that nothing is impossible as long as you have a goal in your life. Living in the body of a woman or a male, religion, culture should not restrict anyone’s abilities or dreams no matter what. we limit ourselves without realizing it.

I enjoyed watching all videos, and the amazing efforts it took these students to showcase their work. ”Be a men” video was very inspiring and close to my heart. I felt that I can relate to it a lot since I come from a place where men and women are assigned toys, roles since the day they are born. I always remember myself as a little girl sitting in the corner of the big room where my aunts will be talking and taking care of their babies, cleaning and doing all the housework, while their husbands are chatting and watching football. I always rejected this idea and questioned myself why these roles can’t be reversed? is it because men and women are built differently? or because of society?

The daily breakfast conversations with my father and my rejection of these ideas were not the norm. My ideal society was a country where women are giving the right to choose their destiny regardless of their physiology or gender like the United States. It was a hard conversation because my dad uses to say that I can think and do whatever I want as long as it will not create a conflict with our norms and society. Why religion, background, culture, and society must limit my identity and who I’m as a person and what I want to achieve?

I’m also a very positive person and always looking at the bright side of any given situation. I could say that using the positive reframing technique to look at things around me and solve them from a slightly different perspective has been a great asset to my life.

Journal entry #1

Hello Brianne and classmates, my name is Firdawce Elharrab, I usually go by Fifi, and I’m majoring in Communications studies. I believe that each one of us carries a unique story that we can discover and learn from. These exceptional stories represent a lot of life experiences, culture, society, and background’s influences that shaped the way we think and we interact with each other. l can relate to a few concepts from the reading and how they affected my life.

1-The first concept is that gender classification is not only based on the physiology of the body of a woman or a man, but it is related to background, religion, society, and education (6). As a young female immigrant from Morocco, I had to overcome quite a few challenges to adapt to the new norms and to show that the idea of coming from a different culture where women and men are treated differently can be changed. Women and men are assigned different jobs from the day they are born. Most girls are prepared to be married and to care for their families, while men are considered the head of the household just because they carry the XY chromosome (page7). This separation is also influenced by social class. I came from a middle-class family where my father and my mother were more concerned about my studies, my wellbeing, and my future, while others low-class families had the urge to find a good suiter for their daughters. It was quite a challenge to have a different culture and mindset inside the house while the outside society had different norms and expectations.

2-Identity and how I identify myself within the society (page 12). As a little girl, I always saw my mother as my idol and how her interactions with the outside world shaped the women she became and how she transformed that knowledge and experiences to us over the years. As a woman, we had to act, talk, and sit in certain ways. Never crossing the legs or talking with a loud voice because it was not acceptable.

3- The Binary way of thinking and structuring everything around us as mutually exclusive, male-female, and not both. If someone does not in these categories, she or he is considered abnormal and does not fit in the social system or cultural beliefs like homosexuality. Girls are supposed to play with girls, and boys are supposed to play with boys because of the physiology of their bodies.