Claire Tucker’s blog

There has been a growing interest in the past five years on the idea of segregating boys and girls in the classroom. I thought this was why parents sent their children to all girls or all boys schools but apparently single-sex education is now occurring in co-ed schools. There are already over 200 schools in the United States that offer the single-sex education learning environment. 

Researchers say the biological differences in boys' and girls' brain as well as their learning strategies are very different. Single-sex classrooms are a good way for children to learn better. Studies have actually shown a significant increase in performance in single-sex classrooms as opposed to normal co-ed classrooms. Advocated of single-sex education also believe the approach is a better way to break down gender stereotypes because girls are more likely to take classes in math, science, and technology and boys are more likely to take an interest in art or drama. 

The idea of breaking down gender stereotypes seems a bit old fashioned to me. Boys and girls are going to be interested in whatever they are interested in and I don't think being separated is an effective way to entice girls to study science. In my opinion, not all girls learn the same way and neither do all boys. Maybe there is also less of a distraction for the children, but I think single-sex classrooms deny children an important social aspect. The world is not segregated between boys and girls and it is important that children learn at a young age how to interact with the opposite sex. There are other ways to close the achievement gap between boys and girls that don't entail the two groups being segregated. 

The other morning I was getting ready for class and had the Today Show turned on like I do every day. When Meredith Vieira introduced a news story about a polygamist cult I turned my attention to the TV to listen to this bizarre story. More than 400 children were removed from a polygamist compound in Eldorado, Texas after reports of alleged rape and abuse. The ranch is owned by Warren Jeffs, a self proclaimed prophet and leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  

The Today Show interviewed a group of the woman who lived on the ranch. Each of the women was wearing a long, homemade dress reminiscent of "Little House on the Prairie," wore her hair in a bun, and had on no makeup. They were identified only by their first names. Listening to these women talk was one of the strangest things I have ever heard. They spoke almost like robots in a sort of hypnotic trance, about how there had never been any wrong doings on the ranch and everything done was in the best interest of the children. It seemed to me like these women were completely brainwashed and it was hard to believe an original thought had ever crossed their minds. 

The women took on the old school gender role of a submissive housewife. It is almost hard to believe people like this event exist. After writing my previous blog on the progression of gender equality in the work force this incident seems like 1,000 steps in the opposite direction. 

For more newsworthy information about the "cult" read this article from the Times. Children of polygamy cult taken from mothers

The article said that women in Japan, often busy executives who do not have time for dating, are employing these male escorts for anywhere from $1,000 to $50,000 a night. Fifty thousand dollars for a night of flirting? It seems ridiculous to me. Female clients say they see it simply as a step towards equality and gender role reversal, especially for Japan who has a long tradition of female geishas. It also is indicative of the recent rise in power of Japanese women in the business field. To read the full article follow this link to the CNN website. Geisha Guys

I wouldn't call myself a feminist but I do believe that men and women deserve to be treated equally in the corporate world. If a woman can work her way up the corporate ladder and become a CEO then she deserves to be paid the same as a male in that position would be. 

In class we talked about women as firemen and whether or not the physical test should be easier so woman can pass as well. I think women are capable of doing many things but the vast majority of women just don't have the same physical strength and endurance, something that can only be attributed to biology. I don't think the test should be made easier to make up for these biological differences. There are many things that men and women can be equally good at, but I don't think there is any comparison when it comes to the physical aspect. 

The United Nations has a special section of their website called WomenWatch that focuses on creating gender equality and empowering women everywhere. For more information on different advocate groups and causes follow this link. Women Watch

I recently read a story about the controversy regarding a female superdelegates' support of Barack Obama. Many feel she is abandoning the "sisterhood" by not supporting Hillary Clinton, the woman candidate. Senator Amy Kolbuchar, a Democratic senator from Minnesota, is supporting Obama. She said that although she has not been yelled at or threatened, many people have let her know they are disappointed by her choice. These people argue that all women should be supporting Hillary because if she doesn't win they very likely could never see a female president in their lifetime. 

The same controversy also surrounds African Americans who do not endorse Barack Obama. Either way, in an election for an office that has for centuries been dominated by white men, there is bound to be issues of loyalty in regard to race and gender. 

Although I do agree with and understand the focus on the race and gender of the two candidates I think it is important for the superdelegates to choose their candidate based on issues. The delegates shouldn't feel pressured to choose the candidate who is the same race or gender as them. And for that matter, who are black females supposed to vote for? Many blacks in general are not supporters of Obama just as many women are not supporters of Hillary. 

This election is without a doubt a monumental event in United States history. I am glad that I am alive to witness it and also that I am old enough to understand its importance. Taking this class at the time of this election has been very interesting as it touches on many of the important aspects of our class. 

Lisa Lampanelli covered almost every race and gender stereotype in the book when she ranted about blacks, hispanics, Middle Easterners and the female "soccer mom" stereotype in her comic routine. I felt very uncomfortable watching this standup routine and did not find it humorous at all. Often it is slightly more acceptable for a comedian to make fun of the group they belong to, but Lampanelli made fun of races she did not belong to. Leah Kayajanian, for example poked fun of women in her routine, but then made light of women as rape victims. Even as a woman, Kayajanian was not a rape victim and making light of such a serious and emotionally scarring event was distasteful in my opinion. Chris Rock made fun of blacks and whites in his standup routine about economic status. I found the majority of his comedy routine to be distasteful. 

Several of the comedians such as Russell Peters, Ellen DeGeneres, and Steven Colbert were funny without being completely inappropriate. They made use of general stereotypes regarding Indians, gays, and even the French but because they were actually a part of the groups that were the butt of these jokes it was slightly more acceptable. They also were funny without crossing the line to offensive. 

While some people may find these comedians funny, they made me feel uncomfortable. Perhaps this is not my type of humor but I really can't imagine who would be able to listen to these comedians without feeling any bit of remorse for poking fun at race and gender stereotypes. I think these comedy routines were very relative to our class because we are studying race, gender, and how they are stereotyped and perceived in society. 

Claire Tucker, Mara Sljivich, Hilary Strat, & Hillary Wright

 

Miscegenation is defined as the blending or mixing of races. It is most commonly used in today’s society to refer to past practices and is considered offensive in contemporary usage. Today words like interracial, mixed marriage, and cross-cultural are more common and acceptable. 

Historically interracial marriage in the United States was viewed as taboo. In 1691 Virginia passed the first legislation prohibiting interracial marriage. In many states, these marriages were already illegal when the term ‘miscegenation’ was invented in 1863. The term was actually used in a political pamphlet meant to help the Republican Party win the 1864 election. 

Anti-miscegenation laws banned marriages between whites and blacks and also between whites and Native Americans and Asians. In the 1967 Supreme Court case Loving v. Virginia, the court ruled Virginia’s miscegenation laws were unconstitutional.

In 1967, Stanley Kramer’s landmark film Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner? came to theaters and sparked a great deal of public discussion. The film tells the story of a white daughter who brings her fiancé, a black man, home to meet her parents. The movie was the first of its kind to address the topic of miscegenation and it couldn’t have come at a better time. The film immediately followed the tumultuous period of the Civil Rights Movement and in the same year as its release, the daughter of the U.S. Secretary of State, Dean Rusk, married a black man. 

The numbers of mixed marriages in the United States has increased greatly from only 26,000 in 1960 to 80,000 in 2000. A 1991 Gallup Poll reported that for the first time in history more Americans approved of interracial marriage than disapproved. In today’s society, there are more interracial models in magazines, as well as interracial couples shown in television shows and movies. Popular TV shows “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Will and Grace,” “ER,” and “Lost” all feature interracial couples.

The taboo of interracial couples is still somewhat present in our society. However, images of these couples are becoming more mainstream and reoccurring in the media. Real life celebrity examples such as Halle Berry and Gabrielle Aubry and Seal and Heidi Klum are opening doors for interracial couples. However, corporate America and movie conglomerates are still not as accepting and comfortable with miscegenation. Although there have been movies featuring interracial couples, such as The Body Guard and Monster’s Ball, the images continue to be stereotypical and reinforce racist attitudes across the U.S.

The recent casting of the movie Hitch actually involved a great deal of controversy. Producers felt a white woman playing opposite African American Will Smith, would be too controversial, but casting a black actress would make audiences view the film as a “black movie” which could hurt sales. Eva Mendes, who is Cuban-American, was eventually cast as the leading female role.

Something good to see is now more than ever, interracialism especially in the media is being presented as a matter-of-fact situation that is not commented upon nor is the focus of the plot. This positive development is showing the American people that interracial relationships are not an abnormality but rather an acceptable part of society. Clarence Krygsheld, who is white, and Faye Hightower, who is black overcame many social obstacles when they married in 1968. Some of their family members even refused to attend the ceremony. Today, the couple finds that people are much more accepting of their relationship.

Interracial couple

The group that presented on body image in women got me thinking about what a prevalent issue this is in our society and how closely related it is to the media. Lots of people think only young, impressionable girls are subject to this pressure but this isn't necessarily trure. A recent article on msnbc.com talked about the rise of eating disorders among middle-aged women.

Dr. Tamara Pryor, clinical director of the Eating Disorder Center of Denver, says many times eating disorders in older women are under the radar and remain undetected until reaching a dangerous level. She calls this increase in eating disorders among women in their 30s, 40s, and 50s the "Desperate Housewives" effect. She says the way the media portrays characters, especially older women, is encouraging people to look younger and thinner no matter what it takes. 

Studies show that the women who suffer from these disorders share the same low levels of self esteem and self worth, as well as anxiety, as the younger girls who have anorexia and bulimia. 

I think it is very sad that this has become such an issue in our society. I see the effects of the media on people's perception of themselves everyday. It's hard to look at these beautiful, seemingly perfect celebrities and not feel bad about yourself. I think the same things. But the truth is, if I had a personal trainer and a private chef to cook me healthy, well balanced and proportioned food for every meal of the day, I might be able to look like that too. People need to realize that what the media and Hollywood is presenting to us just isn't attainable for the average person. 

On March 18 presidential candidate Barack Obama gave a powerful speech on the topic of race in America. As a black man running for president, race has always been an issue for Obama but until this speech had not been directly addressed. Obama gave the speech in response to the controversial comments by his own former pastor, Jeremiah Wright. It was a necessary speech and I think, to Obama's benefit, to address the racial comments made by Wright that lead some people to question Obama's views on race. 

Although I do not always support all of Obama's political platforms and views I think it is hard to argue that this speech was anything less than empowering. Obama denounced inequality of all kinds and invited listeners to join in his quest for creating a "more perfect union," a country that looks beyond race. 

I think it was good that he began his speech by telling his own personal story. For me, it helps personalize candidates to hear their background and know where they came from. 

The speech fell in line with the same theme and campaign of hope and change that Obama is advocating. His ideas are very appealing, especially to a younger generation. He said that while the union may not be perfect, generation after generation has shown that it can be perfected and that he finds hope in the next generation. While it may be naive to an extent, it is nice to hear such positive views of change for our country. Obama's ideas are powerful and his views on race inspiring. 

For the full text of Obama's speech see the following link:

For more comments and opinions see below: 

Researchers at the American Cancer Society have found that minorities and uninsured, or underinsured, patients have a much higher risk of reaching the advanced stages of cancer before they are diagnosed. Studies have shown that there are several different reasons for this disparity. One is the economic factor, as there are a larger number of African Americans and Hispanics that are uninsured or relying on Medicare, as well as the proximity to quality heath care centers and education level. There are also several more race-specific factors such as communication or cultural barriers, the fear of discrimination, and even the distrust of doctors and the health care system because of previous experiences.

"Ethnic minorities tend to be less empowered so they're more reluctant to go see a physician, especially if they have a bad diagnosis," says Dr. Christopher Lathan, of Harvard Medical School. 

This attitude leads to patients coming in already in the late stages for diseases like breast or cervical cancer. These are cancers with a typically high survival rate if detected early. Doctors say it is frustrating but are hopeful that with continued research and growing awareness about these diseases, this racial disparity will become smaller.