Tag: Kiara Johnson Final Portfolio

Discussion # 8

When I first began this class, I knew that we would be talking about gender and how opposite sexes communicate and deal with one another in everyday life. But I did not know the depths of the definition of gender. I have learned that gender is not just the sex that was assigned to us at birth, but it is how we behave. Our background, culture, beliefs etc. All those things and more make us who we are today, I have a better understanding on social constructions and the limits society tries to place us in. Gender plays a huge role in almost everything we do in our lives. Also being in this class I did not expect for us to have many open discussions as we did. I truly enjoyed the transparency of everyone’s story’s and experiences including opinions. It helped me open up and talk about my life, as time went on, I realized the discussions and topics we focused on shed light on things I never really thought about or investigated detail.

What I took away from this course, was paying attention to the treatment of others due to their appearance, gender, background etc. Not to always assume that a person is a specific way just because of how they look or maybe even behave. Take time to get to know that person, we may be surprise when they turn out to be the opposite of what we thought. In my everyday life I will now apply more of what I learned in what I see. Gender is political as well and we must deal with equality, resources and opportunities. I refuse to be discriminated or declined due to my gender identity, I have a better understanding on how we can expose the negatives of the many issues that occur in the workforce, homes, and communities.

The format of this class was unique. I was so used to using blackboard in most of my classes but using BMCC’S open lab was very organized. Professor Waychoff clearly explained each assignment and was helpful in her comments when I needed help. Personally, for me I am a visual learner, so the videos and diagrams we watched and learned about was extremely helpful. It kept me interested, not only did the videos help me but the writing as well. I knew this class was writing intensive but it hit me when we really got to writing , I said to myself “ wow this is a lot of writing” but as I continued to write through out the weeks , the  terms we learned and history stuck with me. The information that I now have installed in me will help me in life and remind me of the importance of gender communication and identity.

Institutional Artifact Project

Growing up as a black woman, I have always had to have a different conversation than others. With my mother or older women around me than others. The conversations about my skin color and how not to act around certain people so they would not get the wrong idea about who I am. These conversations resulted from the social institutions that exist in gender . One of many institutions are microaggressions . Microaggressions are verbal or nonverbal insults that happen every day in the world. Whether it is consciously or unconsciously, these insult messages come off as hostile and derogatory towards a person based on their belonging to a group. For instance, race, racial Microaggression is the feeling of insult colored people face by others in their daily life, this can also be verbal, nonverbal, intentional or unintentional.  One outlet that subliminally sends a message of negative stereotypes towards black women is TV sitcoms,reality shows and movies. Throughout my adolescence i came up watching many great classic tv shows. Such as A Different World, The Bill Cosby Show, Family Matters and so on . These tv sitcoms were all black casts and they delivered encouraging messages that black families can be successful and loving. Before these shows aired , most of the main watched shows were all white casts. There was little recognition of black successful people on the media. When African Americans were displayed in the public eye it was somewhat like today. Focused on violence , and negative outcomes never really the brighter side of things.

Focusing specifically on the classic TV show named A Different World aired for the first time the year 1984, it was a worldwide success for the African American community. This show debunked the ideas and labels that were placed upon blacks. The title sequence of the show had many messages that were outstandingly important around that time and still speaks to this generation. A Different World had six seasons of episodes and in between the seasons of the show, the theme song was sung by three different African American artists. Which was legendary Aretha franklin, phoebe snow and R&B group Boys to men. The title sequence focused on African American women and men representing the military, law, doctors, business, sorority’s, sports, professors and more. I believe this show is sending the powerful message that African Americans are the opposite of society’s negative opinions, and will continue to excel in areas of doubt evidently through their success.

One of the ways gender identity is developed is by social learning. This is when behavior is learned by analyzing, observing and modeling others. Growing up in high school it was emphasized by males and females. For me i refuse for my gender identity to be connected to the negative ideas of black women. Since slavery days , black women has been viewed as sexual beings . it is still unfortunately being repeated today on reality Tv. For example the Tv shows like Love & Hip-Hop and Bad Girls Club. In these shows its usually black women and Hispanic women who are the main focuses. The behavior in these shows consists of vulgar language, name calling towards one another, baby father drama, women dressed provocative and always seems to be the wife of a rapper or their career is being a stripper. How come these shows arent promoting positive messages for women of color ? like the show A Different World did . Black women are more than sex symbols and wives. We can be lawyers , Teachers, Police officers and Judges.

“Introduction to Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies” by “Miliann Kang, Donovan Lessard, and Laura Heston” it discusses many issues and situations that are going on in society concerning gender . There are binary systems and binary perspectives. This consists of making people believe that men and women have nothing in common. This out come results from stereotypes such as , men are strong but women are emotional and weak or men are leaders and women are to be submissive. This causes division , which has been proven through research especially in the work force field .  Which occurs in the media as well . This is why i truly believe this is the reason why we see Hispanic women and black women in movies many times playing the gender roles of a maid, nanny, or nurse or even a stay home mom. Men who hold positions in female dominated positions still receive higher earnings that women who hold the position. This is a clear indicator of division which is also referred to as the glass escalator .

Overall it starts within us to debunk the negative ideas of black women, Hispanic women, Asian women , all women. We need to no longer be silent , but raise our voices for equality. Lets stay consistent and reverent.

Journal #6

In the reading it talks about the issues in society when it comes to equality for the trans community. It is unfortunate for the assaults and crimes that are targeted against the LGBTQ community. If someone does not agree with their lifestyle, violence should never be and will never be the answer. These tragic events lead to the need of trans studies in intercultural communication. Intercultural studies focus on power, oppression and privilege that we all face In the world and within societies. The brutal story in the reading of Intercultural Communication Needs Transgender Studies” by Dr Julia R. Johnson tells CeCe McDonalds experience. Who was attacked and assaulted close to death because of that status of his appearance and identification?  McDonald was arrested and charged with 2nd degree murder and was not given proper medical treatment until 2 months after getting stitches. McDonald was African American and trans, perhaps if McDonald were Caucasian things would have gone much different even If they were a trans. its a shame that McDonald still was incarcerated as he fought for his life in self defense, its as if the system ruled his voice out. Race and gender comes with privileges that many times can be unjustified, and some aren’t privileged which leads to a lack of justice.

The terms used like cis gender is referred to a person identifying as the sex they were assigned at birth. In the reading it talked about privilege of cis gender people and trans. Those who chose to be labeled as cis gender have a better chance of being accepted and called normal rather than being labeled different. Gender dominance occurs between people who identify as their assigned sex or those who chose to be called transgender. In society it is believed that people who identify as trans are more inferior than those who identify as cis gender. This goes hand in hand when we talk about women and men and the worlds expected gender roles from them. Men are always looked at as the dominant one and women are looked at as submissive. This is an ongoing pattern no matter what group it seems to fall in .

Journal #4

In both of the readings it focused on pivotal points in society. In identity terms , it broke down the many different kind of terms people use to refer to a group of people or thing.  A lot of these terms were based off of history and political references. The term i relate to the most is people of color/ colored people. Another term that I looked into was disabled people vs people with disabilities . There are differences between the two, the word people before the word disability encourages people who don’t have disabilities to actually think of them as people. Some times our minds thinks negatively towards those who may be slightly different than others . Language is important especially when using these specific terms, it will change the way we perceive things and how we communicate with others .

Language is the key to communication , especially when it comes to gender. In the reading Feminist philosophy of language it talks about the barriers and expectations of gender communication. False gender neutrality is a common thing I believe we all face one point in our life. We refer to things as “he” if we are unsure of what it is. For example when ever i see a dog i automatically say ” hes so cute whats his name ?” in my mind i’m not actually assuming its a boy but the term ” he” is common to refer to a person or thing . I see the point on how gender can be used to refer to other things other than just your sex.

Philosophy of language is also known to be called’ individualism ‘ to the worlds view , individualism in philosophy was viewed as a mans mindset. Why ? well because it has been told over and over that men think for themselves, they are distant and very private. What does this subliminally say towards women then ? that women are emotional and dependent on men? It was looked down upon for women to have a ‘mans mind’ . The saying act like a women but think like a man is foolish. The mind has nothing to do with gender , but everything to do with character.

Overall both reading has given me an better understanding on the terms we use day to day. We should be careful on how we use certain terms , when encountering certain people. We should also look deeper into the meanings and reasons on how and why we say what we say when it comes to language in gender communication.

Gender identity project

In the past when i would hear the term gender, I automatically thought of my biological sex . In addition to that thought I also thought about feminine behavior. Us humans have been shaped by social construction , and we have continuously tried to reach the expectations of what being a real ‘woman’ or ‘man’ is. The world seems to always decide what is appropriate behavior for male or female. Our names for instance, it is expected for a girl to have a feminine name and a boy to have a masculine name. When the gender roles in names switch , it is looked upon as unacceptable. The name Jordan or Alexander gives off a masculine sound and would not be expected to be given to a female. However, I have met females named Jordan and Alexander . I remember i was in middle school and some of my classmates would say to Jordan and Alexander “that’s a boy name. ” Yes the society restricts certain names to be either belong to one sex or gives permission to be unisex. I wonder what the thoughts of Jordan and Alexander were. Did they feel less of a female because of their name? Unfortunately at times perceptions of a persons entire identity may change due to one thing that may seem masculine or feminine of a person.  I must admit I have been guilty a few times of falling into the small mindset of society. In my adolescence I can recall a time when I went to a family members birthday party. My father had introduced me to one of his childhood friends, his name was Ashley. I can remember me immediately wanting to laugh because I thought to myself , why does this grown man have a girl’s name ? I was a kid at the time and did not understand that a name or interests of a person does not define what your gender identity is.

According to Gender in communication A critical introduction by Defransisco, Victoria and Catherine Palzcewski With Danielle Dick McGeough, it discusses one of three theories. Which is the physiological theory, this theory is based on developed triggers that result from our early child hood experiences. What we are taught as children grows with us into adulthood. The dos and don’ts including the values and morals that were installed in us . Growing up my mother would always have a discussions with me in regards to my dress code around men. Men referring to my father, brother or any family member that was a male. As i became older I began to develop physically like any young woman would. I never thought that if I wore shorts and tank tops around the people i love in my house hold, that it would be a problem. My mother would tell me things like ” you’re a female and we have men in the house . You shouldn’t walk around with shorts anymore , you’re not a little girl  ” I  would always try to point out the fact that my father and brother wasn’t looking at me in that way . It was never an issue before so it shouldn’t be an issue now. My mother stood her ground to say it was inappropriate. My issue with this is , I didn’t believe that gender was necessarily the problem in this case. I believe it is a persons character that we should focus on , rather than their sex. My mothers concern was my family members possibly looking at me the wrong way because they were men. But it was never much of a concern when it came to women. According to CDC nationally representative data statistics states 79 percent of men who has been sexually assaulted has been victims of women committing the act. This proves that gender isn’t always the issue , it is the character and mind of a person.

I was taught many things just based on my sex growing up . A Psychologist came up with a theory named the cognitive theory. The Cognitive development is a theory that helps explains the behavior of an human. This development theory focuses on the process of our identity and behavior influenced from teachings and environment in our adolescence. Some of the teachings my parents installed in me i still highly value today, and some i I have grown out of. Through out taking this class my perspective on gender has changed . One of the exercises that brought light to this topic was the sex, gender and sexuality interlace diagram. This diagram was a basic layout but it was detailed on each term when it came to explaining gender. It explained that the sex of person isn’t only the biological identification male or female , it also broke down the biological sex functions. Which are chromosomal, genetic, hormonal, reproduction, gondal and sex organs .It also detailed the worlds meanings of attraction, sexuality etc.

In the reading of Gender stories it introduced a concept. The concept of agency. Agency is the process by which we can make a change in how we ourselves are viewed by others including how we view ourselves . How we carry ourselves and what we stand for sends clear messages towards those you are around. For me due to how i behave and express myself, I send the message of being kind and a great listener. In addition I also carry myself with respect which sends the message to others to respect me as well. When you send clear messages through your character  to others , better understanding comes into play.

I have learned that there are so many layers to understanding and learning gender. One of the many layers i have learned about gender is body politics. Body politics is an assumption of a persons sexuality and character based off of our physical appearance. How many times has a person misjudged you based on how you look or dress? it sounds silly to label a person on who they are and who/ what they like by there appearance. This happens often and again i have fell guilty of it. I believe when we allow body politics to have a place in a relationship it can blind us of the true identity of a person. It can also make communication difficult. We may approach someone or interact with someone the wrong way because we have our own personal ideas on that individuals character. Overall gender communication isn’t a one time thing, i will keep on learning and we all should as the world continues to change and evolve throughout our lifetime.

Discussion 2

As i looked through each of the diagrams assigned , I examined the presentation. They are all pretty similar but they also have some differences that makes them unique. Starting off with the gender terminology diagram, this diagram is simple but the visuals make a difference. For example in the section where it says gender attribution, it explains the meaning . Which is how other people see us , perhaps by our physical appearance or behavior . In the visual it shows a man in a wheel chair , I thought that image was an apotheosis of what gender attribution is. The following two diagrams I viewed were gender unicorn and the gender bread person. These diagrams as well were simple but weren’t as visual like the gender terminology diagram. Lastly the diagram I chose based on my preference was the sex, gender and sexuality interlace diagram. This diagram has a basic layout but it is detailed on each term when it comes to explaining gender. For example instead of just titling one section sex , it went on furthermore with description . It explained that the sex of person isn’t only the biological identification male or female , but it also broke down the biological sex functions. Which are chromosomal, genetic, hormonal, reproduction, gondal and sex organs . For others like me who didn’t really have understand at first of the basis and depths of gender , this would be a great diagram to refer them to. The details in each section would explain clearly on the different meanings on gender and would result in with a conclusion of better understanding.

The personal diagram that I drew opened my eyes to how many ways I identify myself. I realized I listed occupations and interests of how I want others to view me and identify me as , including how I personally see myself as . How I see myself as , I may not always share with others because that is not how I may want to be portrayed to others as . The three groups that I chose that I feel has added value to my life are me being a Christian/ minister/ woman of God , being a manager and being family oriented. Me being a minster of the gospel and identifying myself as a woman of God sometimes causes conflict. For one of many examples , I had an issue at work where my coworker would verbally insult me by mocking my beliefs. I never gave him a reason to be so hostile and rude , in fact I have always tried to be kind and understanding and allowed him always to speak his thoughts. I felt disrespected , no one else on my job ever did this to me so I eventually decided to have a conversation with him and vocalize my feelings . It was revealed to me that he didn’t think it was a big deal and after he apologized for his offending comments, though I don’t believe it was genuine because he still from time to time makes comments that are offending. Yes we according to our rights we have the right to freely speak , however respect and balance should also be put into consideration , especially when the other party is giving respect to the other individual. In addition to the other 2 groups I chose being a manager, this comes with conflict like the example I use above and many other kinds of barriers that can affect the communication with others . Even though I am new at being a manager , in the process of me being trained to become one and finally walking in the position. It has helped me grow and learn so many things about communication, conflict, problem solving , listening, business and character . In addition me being a manager and a young woman at that, makes it difficult for men to take me as seriously as they would if I was a man .Lastly me being family oriented is a huge part of my life , I have a very close relationship with a portion of my family. When ever we plan to do something whether its gathering for a celebration , serious matters or just spending quality time I make sure I try to be involved as much as possible. Sometimes this may cause misunderstandings with others outside of my family. There have been times my friends wanted me to participate in something but I already had made a commitment to my family plans. My friends felt as if I wasn’t there for them , but again balance is relevant including understanding .

By doing this assignment I have learned that Gender is so much more than the sex that you are assigned at birth. Gender is attached to your identity and the things that make you who you are today .

Journal # 2

In the reading “Introduction to Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies” by “Miliann Kang, Donovan Lessard, and Laura Heston” it discusses many issues and situations that are going on in society concerning gender . There are binary systems and binary perspectives. This consists of making people believe that men and women have nothing in common. This out come results from stereotypes such as , men are strong but women are emotional and weak or men are leaders and women are to be submissive. This causes division , which has been proven through research especially in the work force field . Men who hold positions in female dominated positions still receive higher earnings that women who hold the position. This is a clear indicator of division which is also referred to as the glass escalator . A part in the reading that stood out me that was undeniably true was the occupations of female dominated positions . Which are nurses, daycare workers, nannies, babysitters, teachers etc. You only see women work in these fields 95% of the time , it is rare that you see men .

When it comes to our sexuality , society has automatically labeled what is normal and acceptable versus what is not . This is a built culture that we have been built on for decades. devising ” natural ” and ” defiant ” causes conflicts and disagreements between others and communities . Me being female it is expected for me to be heterosexual , attracted to men. Men are expected to be attracted to women, but when this isn’t always the case discrimination comes along and compulsory monogamy takes place. Being apart of a particular group can affect those on the outside in either a positive or negative way. Interestingly there are multiple ways of masculinity. When i thought of the term masculinity i only thought of men , however there is female masculinity as well. Judith ( jack) Halberstam connects maleness and power to female masculinity , such as a women dressing masculine or behaving with male tendencies.

Race is an issue even now currently today that is unfortunately still an issue. The tension between Caucasians and African Americans has been built on invalid assumptions and hate. After reading this section on race , i now understand that race in a social context form is more than the color of a persons skin but the constructions of race are foolishly based on  intelligence, sexuality, strength, motivation, and culture. I say foolishly because further on in the book is validates that the concept of scientific racism is false. This concept held the theory of intellect based on the size of a person brain size , which was proven negative. Even in past history the binary systems between white and blacks have always been there. The stereo types that black people are more sexual than others. This invalid argument encouraged awful acts to be done towards African american women . Slaves were raped and this violation at time wasn’t illegal, why ? because of racism and gender. Male power against women, including race against one another .

Being apart of a particular class can again , bring false accusations towards the group. Middle class and/or low class people are unfairly concluded to a statement . People who fall in the group of low class are viewed as people who don’t work hard enough to have success. Leniency is granted more for those who are wealthy, middle class people may be viewed as hard workers and stable. This is not always true, there are many people who are born into wealth or became wealthy by doing very little believe it or not. All of these assumptions can make a person prematurely write another human being off because of their idea of who this person may be , due to the group they belong to.

In conclusion all of these concepts and examples all show how binary ways of understanding the differences between individuals are not true. This is not the way to try and understand the dilemmas that we have in human culture.

Journal # 1

As I watched the Gender identity stories , one story really stood out to me . The video titled ” you did it girl ” I could relate to Eli. She was very transparent about her personal struggles. Which I strongly believe was influenced by society, including the media .These platforms are usually targeted towards women and expects them to reach unrealistic measures . One of the statements she said was ” I was starving but the compliments I received were feeding me ” that was very potent, in fact very true .  How often in life do we partake in things we aren’t to fond of, but we continue to involve ourselves due to possible self gratification. Personally for me ,at the early age of 12 I became obsessed with self image. I hated the way I looked , those emotions were created by an older cousin of mine. She would constantly make fun of the shape of my body and my physical attributes. I was young and she was older so I assumed she must be right ,since she had more years up on me . Because I thought I was fat, I began to only eat one meal a day . Or I would eat very light meals such as cream cheese bagels and a bottle of water. I made sure I worked out every day and never ate around boys, no matter how hungry I was. I had to find a way to stay “beautiful ” when in fact that’s not what beauty means . Even if I was on a thicker side i still would have been beautiful, or if i was petite my beauty wouldn’t have changed. I now today love myself and i have grown out of a negative mind set. However It did take me a while to see myself for the beautiful person God sees me and created me as.

According to introduction “Gender Stories” by “Dan P. McAdams, Ruthellen, Josselson, & Amia Lieblich, Identity and Story” This chapter highlights many different out looks and conceptualizations when it comes to gender. Conceptualization of gender does not treat gender as a stable aspect of a person. Gender is separated from the sex of a person by behavior our personality etc when we socialize in the world. In the reading it explains how our gender depending on who we are around or depending on the situation , changes its never the same. For example in a social context , your behavior changes. if I was arriving to work to have a meeting with the CEO of the company I would want to appear as a women who is confident and bold versus if I was just going to watch a movie with some close friends , I would present myself more laid back . We unconsciously change our genders throughout the day through behavior. Gender is the assignment of meaning to the bodies , which is the way people label and categorize others. I have personally experienced this . My manager for the company i work for is a male. Because I am a young woman, his assumptions were quickly made before even allowing the possibility to come into play, that I could take charge of keeping things in order . His behavior displayed his beliefs that he could only handle the business because he is a man with power.

Over all we are taught these things from our early adolescence. The difference between gender , man and female. The cognitive theory states that children understands identity in stages this doesn’t happen over night . I believe even as young adults we may not know a person personality and identity  until we fully get to know them .