Author: Soniya Munshi

Overview 

Welcome to Week 3 of Introduction to Gender and Women’s Studies! 

We are a little behind schedule– which is very normal for the start of a semester! Next week, in class, we will first discuss the ways that gender is structured through oppression, the role of patriarchy,  gender norms, and  gender socialization. If you have not completed last week’s readings, please do so!

The new readings in Module #3 will take us back to the United States in the 1800s. We will explore issues that were central to women’s movements in the 1800s: the abolition of slavery, women’s suffrage + the relationship between the two.

READINGS AND OTHER MATERIALS

*Note about the readings: all of the texts below are primary sources. This means that they are the original writing or speech made by the author (and not a description or summary by another source (a secondary source)).  Some of the readings might seem difficult because the language is from a different time. Do your best + bring questions/confusions to class or write about them in your post.

• Grimke, “An Appeal to the Christian Women of the South” (1836). Grimke was an abolitionist, as in, she fought for the abolition of slavery. She was a white Southern woman who wrote this letter to other white Southern women, hoping to persuade them to oppose slavery.  

As you read, consider: How does Grimke make her argument? What does she say or do to persuade her audience?

• Seneca Falls Convention, “Declaration of Sentiments” (1848). This declaration was read by Elizabeth Cady Stanton in Seneca Falls, NY at the first women’s rights convention in the U.S. 

As you read, consider: What does this Declaration say about women? Where and how does this Declaration understand injustice? Why is it called a “Declaration of Sentiments?”

• Anthony, “Is it a crime to vote?” (1873). This speech was made by Susan B. Anthony, one of the leaders of the women’s suffrage movement, or the movement to win the right to vote for women.  Anthony was indicted for voting in an election and violating state laws that only allowed men to vote. On the final day of the trial, the judge asked if she wanted to speak + this speech was her response. 

As you read, consider: How does Anthony make her argument that she has not committed a crime? What does Anthony think is the role of the government, and women’s relationship to the government?

• Sojourner Truth, “1851 Speech” (1851). Sojourner Truth was an enslaved person who became free in 1827. She gave a speech at the Women’s Rights Convention in Akron, Ohio in 1851, but it was not published until 1863. Many people know about her famous line, “ain’t I a woman?” but as you can see from this discussion of the speech here, her actual original words are different than what was published.

As you read, consider: What are the main themes of her speech? What does Truth express about her position in society? As you read the speeches side by side, what do you see as the differences between then? What do we learn from this comparison?

• Ida B. Wells, “A Red Record”(1895). Ida B. Wells was a researcher and educator who was born into slavery and freed through the Emancipation Proclamation. This text is documentation of lynchings that occurred in the South after the Emancipation Proclamation was passed.

As you read, consider: What does Wells say about the conditions that Black people are facing in the South? When and how does she discuss the role of women?

POST ON DISCUSSION BOARD #3 (DUE 2/22)

Instructions/How to post here

For this week’s discussion board post, please respond to one of the following prompts:

1. What do you see as the relationship between women’s movements and abolitionist movements?
2. Discuss the two versions of the speech by Sojourner Truth. What do we see when we compare the two versions? What can this show us about the context of that time?
3. Pick a quote or two from one of the texts that spoke to you or that confused you. Describe and explain the quote(s) as best as you can and/or identify your questions about them.

Please title your post: First Name Last Name: DB 3 and select “DB 3” as the category for your post.

ESSAY #1

In class today, I said that I would put the prompt up for Essay #1. Since we are behind on the syllabus, I have pushed this back one week. The prompt will be given to you next week and the suggested due date will be Tuesday, March 2. You can always find the updated course schedule here

See you Tuesday! 

Learning Goals

Welcome to Week 2 of Introduction to Gender and Women’s Studies! 

This week, we will:

• Begin to learn about the field of Gender and Women’s Studies– what and who is it about?
• Define and explore key concepts, including:  feminism, sexism, oppression, sisterhood, difference, patriarchy, sex, gender, intersex
• Discuss gender norms, gender socialization, and the spectrums of femininity and masculinity

Readings and other Materials

Below is a list of materials for you to review along with questions for you to consider as you read/watch:

• Frye, “Oppression”: This is a portion of a classic essay in which Frye (a philosopher and feminist theorist) engages the concept of “oppression.”
  • What does Frye mean by “oppression” and how is it different than being miserable or frustrated?
  • Why can oppression be hard to see or recognize?
  • Frye ends with the statement, “Women are oppressed, as women… But men are not oppressed, as men.” What does she mean by this? What evidence has she given us to support this statement?

 

• Lorde, “There is no hierarchy of oppression”: Another piece by Audre Lorde — there will be a lot of Audre Lorde on our syllabus! This one was published as part of a bulletin on “homophobia and education.” 
  • What is the goal of Lorde’s piece? What evidence or information does she share to make her argument?

 

• Johnson, “Patriarchy, The System: An It, Not a He, a Them, or an Us.” : This is another excerpt from a classic essay by a sociologist whose work focused on issues of gender, race, and class. 
  • What does Johnson mean when he says that patriarchy is a “system?”
  • How is this approach different from an individualistic model?
  • How does Johnson define “patriarchy?”
  • What are ways that we participate in patriarchy, according to Johnson?

 

• Read: Myers, “Sex and Gender 101”: This page offers a definition of the words “sex,” gender” and “sexual orientation.” Read and track any questions you have about the definitions.

 

• Anne Fausto-Sterling “The Five Sexes, Revisited” : Fausto-Sterling is a biologist and gender studies professor. This article was written in 2000, and in it, she revisits an essay she wrote in 1993. 
  • What was Fausto-Sterling’s argument about the “five sexes?” What did she propose and why?
  • What is the meaning of “intersex?”
  • What has been the role of medical practitioners in the lives of intersex people?
  • Fausto-Sterling says that sex occurs on multiple levels- what are they?
  • What do you think Fausto-Sterling would say about the term “biological sex”  — would she use this term, and why or why not?

 

• Watch: IG live convo between Chase Strangio and Pidgeon (1:14): Chase Strangio (deputy director for transgender justice at the ACLU) and Pidgeon Pagonis  (an intersex activist and writer) had an IG chat on Monday that addresses many of the same ideas that Fausto-Sterling is writing about, except that they are speaking also from their own experiences navigating questions of sex and gender. The whole chat is a little over 1 hour- so watch as much as you can, but try to watch at least the first 15 minutes. 

 

• Ijeoma A. “Because you’re a girl”: This piece is a personal essay about the author’s experiences 
  • What are the expectations for what it means to be a “good girl” in the author’s family?
  • What is her experience in school and how/why is it different?
  • What happens when she comes to the U.S., and does being here change her?

 

• Pascoe, “Making Masculinity: adolescence, identity, and High School
  • What is happening in the opening scene of this chapter? What are some of the specific markers that tell us about the meaning of masculinity?
  • What is the relationship here between masculinity and sexuality? Masculinity and race?
  • Here, the author aims to “dislodge” masculinity from biology and instead shows how it is a social construction– what does this mean and why is this important?

Post On Discussion Board #2 (Due 2/15)

Instructions/How to post here

For this week’s discussion board, please reply to one of the following sets of questions– you do not need to reply to all of them (but you are welcome to do so!). When writing about specific readings, try to find a quote in the text that helps to back up your point or discussion.

1. What does Frye mean by “oppression” and how is it different than being miserable or frustrated? What does Lorde’s essay tell us about oppression? How do you relate to these pieces, if at all? Can you think of examples or experiences that connect to Frye and/or Lorde’s arguments?
2. What is the system of patriarchy? How do we participate in this system? What does this approach help us to see that an individualistic model does not? Give specific examples.
3. Fausto-Sterling and the IG chat both take up the issue of intersexness. What connections do you see between medical systems and sex/gender? What are the questions that come up for you as you read/watch these pieces?
4. Ijeoma A. and Pascoe write about expectations that are placed on girls and boys, respectively. What are some of the norms that they write about? What are some of the norms that you grew up with, either in your own experience or that you witnessed? How did you relate to these norms?

Please title your post: First Name Last Name: DB 2 and select “DB 2” as the category for your post.

Post on Discussion Board: Introduction 

If you have not yet posted your Introduction, please do so! Write a post in which you introduce yourself to the class. In your post, please tell us about an object, ritual, practice, song, saying or something else that brings you joy or comfort.  You can add a photo or video or audio if you like.

Instructions on how to post (including how to add media) can be found here.

Please title your post: First Name Last Name: Introduction and select “DB Introduction” as the category for your post.

REMOTE LEARNING + TECHNOLOGY SURVEY (OPTIONAL)

I would love for you to fill out this optional survey which asks questions about your experience with remote learning and access to technology. Your responses will help inform how I teach this course. You do not have to fill in your name– you can be anonymous.