Dear Novgorod and Brockport Partners:
Hello and Peevyet!
It was lovely to see everyone today for our Novgorod- Brockport video conference. Thank you all for attending and participating in our introductions and discussion on questions about sex and gender equality as we understand this in America and Russia. And thanks also for you patience with our technology. Grateful!
In our Brockport class, we have been discussing sex and gender identity and on Thursday we are about to talk about gender-based violence and crimes against women. I am interested in student views about this topic as we study examples in the U.S, Russia, and around the globe.
We have been reading the text, "Women Across Cultures," by Shawn Meghan Burn, which sheds light on the global dimensions to gender-based violence. Also, we have talked about language and media images that reinforce gender inequalities. I am curious about ways media sources operate in Russia and if you can cite examples of ways media messages can reinforce sexism and lead to intimate partner violence.
A few years back, I was pulled in by the "Carry That Weight," project -- see link.
https://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/22/arts/design/in-a-mattress-a-fulcrum-of-art-and-political-protest.html
More recently, I am following the #MeToo campaign, and just yesterday, read this VOX piece that really resonated with me on how society continues to simply slap wrists for sexist behaviors. See link: https://www.vox.com/2018/9/10/17826168/me-too-louis-ck-men-comeback
I would like to hear what Brockport and Novgorod students think about these and/or other circumstances that you might be aware of and want to share with us on this blog as we think about sex and gender equality.
Thank you again for your participation in our morning and your evening class and for sharing your thoughts here. I am grateful for our partnership and the opportunity to learn from each across time and place. Until the next time.
Peace and Da sveedanya.
Barb LeSavoy, PhD
When I read about the case of the girl being sexually violated on campus I was disgusted that the school did nothing to defend her! I was surprised that nothing happened to the guy who did that to her. When I read about that it made me wonder how that must of made her feel and other woman at the school. If I had found out that happened to a student, as a woman I would't feel safe. However, when she dragged the bed around I thought that was very symbolic and a great way to show that she is not giving up on her rights. Sexual abuse weighs heavy on those who face it and I love how she did not give up.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I learned alot more about the #metoo campaign. Many people of authority or fame status are sexually abusing others and getting away with it. People are taking this as a joke and I think that is seriously messed up. Sexual abuse is not a joke and I feel if a person is guilty of doing that they should face the consequences! Also I learned that the most common type of abuse is verbal abuse and woman are the most victimized in any kind of abuse. The #metoo campaign strives to help people understand that abuse can happen everywhere and we all need to come together to make this a serious issue.
In the book there were many kinds of violence such as dowry violence in India where the bride is killed after marriage because the husband wants a larger dowry(pay)from another wife or other reasons. Sometimes this is done through bride burning and blamed on cooking accidents.There is violence all throughout the world just all in different ways.
As a response to the #MeToo and “Carry That Weight” campaigns, I think it’s amazing that people are able to raise awareness of these very important issues in our culture. It’s a shame that we talk so much about gender equality, yet we’re still not to the point where we can say that women and men are treated with the same respect across the country or even across the state.
ReplyDeleteAlthough there are still many issues in America, I was surprised at how much closer our culture is to equality than many of the countries focused on in Chapter 2 of our textbook. I was aware that many Muslim countries forced women to cover themselves from head to toe, yet I was not aware of “traditions” (as the textbook refers to these practices) that include honor killings, bride burnings, dowry violence, and so on, where women are killed simply because they did something that angered their husband or male family members. These “traditions” are often violent, and result in little to no punishment to the murderer. I am horrified that so many countries think of women as so much less than human beings. We talk about women being objectified in America, which is an issue, but in many countries women have no rights and are objects in the eyes of the laws and the culture they are forced into.
I’m not saying that we should be happy with the progress we’ve made in the US and stop advocating for equality. There is always progress to be made. I’m just pointing out that the world is a big place, and we all have different battles and different degrees of abuse that we might not be aware of.
The articles were very intriguing to read. In "Carry That Weight,” it was frustrating to discover that the school did nothing to help the woman feel more safe on campus while her attacker roamed free. Her approach to spreading awareness was very creative, and I respected and appreciated the metaphor she used by carrying the mattress around campus. However frustrating the situation is, my spirits were lifted when I read how many people stepped up to help her carry the mattress.
ReplyDeleteThe second article about the Me Too campaign was unique in that it was written by a male author. Typically, I associate these articles with female authors, so it was interesting hearing from a guy who supports the cause and was willing to create a primarily factual article. What stuck out to me was the part where he said that by discussing what the punishment should be for the men who commit these crimes, we are continuing to give the man more power than the woman; we are still putting men at the center of attention. It had not occurred to me that we are not helping stop these crimes if we focus on the attacker. By concentrating less on the men (and sometimes women) who commit these crimes, we are fighting against the standards of our culture that contribute to the number of attacks occurring throughout the country and the world.
In chapter two of the Burn textbook, the most shocking thing I read about was the bride kidnappings typical (although illegal) in Kyrgyzstan. In this practice, women are abducted by men seeking a bride and taken back to the man’s home where he and his friends pressure the woman into accepting the man’s hand in marriage. More often than not, women accept the offer for fear of shame and being seen as impure. What also bothered me was that in countries where similar practice takes place, people make no effort to stop the abductions. Instead, parents often take advantage of the situation by demanding money in return for their daughter’s hand in marriage. Women in these countries have no say over who they are with-they are completely subject to whatever men want, whenever they want, and that definitely is not right, in my opinion.
When i read the article "Carry That Weight" i was appalled to see how little the school did for Sulkowicz. The idea that she came up with to respond to what happened to her was very clever. I thought it sent a good message of how the "weight" of that event impacted her and how she now has to carry that for the rest of her life. As a male i think that it is ridiculous how an action taken like this can lead to no type of punishment. The system put in place right now is failing women and this is having a negative impact on them when they are trying to get closure from the event. Sulkoicz tried to get some type of closure by going to the campus and the police but she was unable to get any justice.
ReplyDeleteThe Me Too article was an interesting read because i was able to get a males perspective on sexual harassment events. One part of the article that really stood out to me was "every single woman wakes up everyday knowing no matter how careful she is, anything along that spectrum could happen to her". This part stood out to me because I never thought about how woman can do nothing provocative to a male and still have a horrible event happen to her. It makes me question why males think that they can go up to a girl that wants nothing to do with them and commit a sexual act. I also thought that the idea to make sure that celebrities, comedians and other famous people are punished correctly is the best place to start when advocating for justice. Since they are so popular and well known once people see how they are getting punished, it will impact how they will view potentially committing a crime. If they have the mindset that since a celebrity got so little time the same will happen to me then crime rates will continue to go up. But if the punishments fit the crime then the numbers will hopefully drop.
The Burn book also opened up my eyes to trafficking and forced marriage numbers. I had no clue that forced marriages were happening as often as they were today. I always thought that it was part of past cultures and had really died down due to technology and the world being as advanced as it is today. I also didn't know that if a women was considered "impure" in some countries once a female entered a man's home, thus causing shame to be put on her families name. A statistic that really blew my mind was that over 720 million women alive today were married before their eighteenth birthday. The book didn't say how many of those marriages were forced marriages but that number to me was a lot higher than expected.
After reading "Carry The Weight" I was reminded how hard it is being a girl on a college campus. This article is still very prominent today, even though there has been progress there is still a lot of women left with no justice and no help. This reminds me of a more recent court case involving Brock Turner a student-athlete at Stanford university who was prosecuted for sexual assault and rape on a college campus and ended up being found guilty but only had to serve 6 months of confinement but only had to serve 3 months and got off on good behavior. This makes me sick to think about how they are only "slapping men on the wrists" for doing something that is so hurtful to someone else and how society allows it too happen. This relates back to the article because the college did not do what they should have done to protect the women involved and it leaves the women to fend for herself. I thought it was very interesting to see how the women reacted with carrying a mattress all over campus to make sure she wasn't silenced. This makes me so nervous just being a girl on campus, when I am walking back from night classes I am always checking my surroundings and making sure no one is following me, and that's not something a normal college student should have to go through. You don't see guys having that same issue.
ReplyDeleteThe #metoo movement has been kind of a big deal lately because a lot of women are finally finding the courage to step up and tell their story. This reading is a lot more powerful because it depicts that a women is in danger before they even know they are, and that at any time, with any person they could harass you or something worse. But also this article kind of makes me angry to see how men are "fighting back" because they are upset that a women they sexually harassed or raped sought help and they are upset that they have to live with that following them around for the rest of their life. To me it kind of seems like, if you can't deal with the consequences, don't do the crime. It goes along saying that "should be allowed to serve their time and then move on with their lives." If we try to implement that and teach that practice, people are going to think they can do anything, deal with a consequence for a little bit of time and then just move on with their life. What stops them from doing it again? I think it's completely fair that that accusation follows them around because no one should ever be put in that kind of situation and knowing that information about someone could save a life.
In the burn book it kinda brought to my attention how differently women are treated around the world. It amazes me how in some countries people are so deeply in believing that women should be held to a lower status than men. That people will deny women jobs just because of their sex. It all seems crazy to me because we live in such a different society that is past that. Both of the readings along with the burn book open your eyes a lot to the different perspectives of women and rape around the world and even the U.S.
Casey. I fully agree with you concerning your point on "if you can't deal with the consequences, don't do the crime" and the similarity you found between it and the statement about letting attackers move on. No, this should not be the practice allowed by law, and you're right about implementing a new practice.
DeleteI think that the "Carry That Weight" campaign is a genius art performance that metaphorically sheds light on the burden of sexual assault, even after it takes place. The emotional anxieties that follow a traumatic event will follow the victim everywhere he or she goes, which is what is represented by the carrying of the mattress. The mattress is a great idea because it's a visual symbol that people can recognize as a burden. I feel as though people often don't realize how difficult and long this emotional recovery can be for victims of assault. In contrast to a mattress, which is quite large and obvious, emotional burdens are often hard to see. To be completely honest, I am disgusted that nothing was done for this woman in her individual case, but I am not surprised. If there was enough understanding about this epidemic, then it would no longer be a problem.
ReplyDeleteThe #metoo campaign re-enforces the idea that sexual violence against women is a systemic problem. For example, people like celebrities, who have been in the spotlight for years, have somehow gotten away with multiple sexual assaults. Society needs to start believing that this problem is an epidemic, and that the fear of sexual assault is never silent for a majority of women around the globe. As women begin to individually shed light on their personal experiences with this problem, other women feel empowered to share their stories as well. This way, women can rise up together with their allies against sexual assault. There is great strength in numbers.
The Burn book also discussed multiple examples of sexual violence from around the world. I was surprised to learn that some of the more radical forms of violence, such as dowry murders and honor killings, are still a modern-day problem in other countries. I was also surprised to learn that child marriage is still legal in many parts of the United States. Chapter 2 brought my attention to the connections between religion, race, social and economic status, and other factors that contribute to the systemic problem of violence against women. Many of these girls and women feel like they have no say in what happens to them because it is just part of the law, culture, or religious traditions. However, in my opinion, there comes a point where morality should override traditions or culture.
The New York Times article “In a Mattress, a Lover for Art and Political Protest,” was both an interesting and informing read. I truly do admire Emma Sulkowicz’s persistence to her cause in order to raise awareness to her case; carrying a fifty-pound mattress everywhere is no easy feat. While the university’s alleged handling of the case is utterly despicable if true, I was a little hesitant to make a final judgement on this case on the basis of a single article. I only say this because I have a friend at Colombia that told me the story differently. I will definitely look deeper into this case, especially into how the university handled the allegations she put forth and if they truly dismissed her. If they did, both the university and the male student involved should be held accountable for their actions and punished accordingly.
ReplyDeleteThe article “What so many men are missing about #MeToo” was definitely an enlightening read. As both a male and a person who doesn’t regularly use twitter this article definitely helped me to understand what this movement is about and the bigger message it is trying to convey: that these are not isolated incidents, sexual harassment and abuses happen all the time and everywhere. Prior to reading this article I have heard of this movement, but I didn’t really know what it was for or about. I agree with the author in that sexual harassment and abuses are all over and I think this hashtag is a great way to truly show how much of a problem sexual harassment is, a quick search of the “MeToo” hashtag in the twitter search bar will show this to anyone.
There was something in chapter two of the Burn Book that I found especially disturbing amongst already bothersome content, it was something called Dowry Death. Dowry Death occurs mostly in the Indian subcontinent and is when a young woman is murdered by her husband or his family for her family’s refusal to pay additional dowry payments. This practice is absolutely horrendous and I was horrified to learn that this practice isn’t that uncommon in India. It angered me to read about it, murdering an innocent woman over money and not to mention a very morally wrong practice is disgusting.
I think the "Carry That Weight" movement is incredible. I feel is was very creative of her to think of something so incredibly moving and physical, yet also metaphorical. I give her credit for having the strength to carry on through her struggles and not be defeated or broken by them, but make a statement because of them and bring light to a subject that is heavily avoided by many.
ReplyDeleteThe #MeToo movement is a very powerful movement happening in today's America. I feel that the focus should be more on the survivors of the tragic events that took place, rather than the disgusting men that performed such acts. The media is constantly focusing on the bad guys in the stories, never getting the after stories of the victims. You see pictures of criminals that have been caught all throughout the news but never pictures of those violated, never the follow-up stories or the tales of the struggle of life after rape or sexual assault. I feel that the publicity given to people that have committed crimes that were already famous is ridiculous. They should not be given more and more publicity because they were accused of something they admitted to doing and are trying to move on. I feel that they should be held fully accountable and stay away from the lime light for a bit, or for good. People that support those that poke fun at rape whistles after being convicted of activities related to such should be ashamed. A good comedian or not, surely his lack of judgement as a person should be enough to deter someone from supporting such an act. My apologies if that got too opinionated.
The Burn book CH. 2 was without a doubt the hardest reading I've been assigned at this point in my entire educational career. I definitely cried at multiple points from sheer shock at the true statistics of it all. It was a very eye-opening passage about what is still to this day occurring behind doors that aren't quite closed, but are far from open. To read all the reported killing of women and the punishment THEY receive for being raped in the first place just completely blew my mind. It feels like although were are living in the year 2018, it could be decades more before everything is finally equal and moral. I applaud all of the rights movements attempting to genuinely improve the standards and rules that women are currently beaten down by, as they are trying to cure the centuries of injustices done to billions upon billions of women.
As I was reading the “carry the weight” article, I thought about how brave Ms. Emma Sulkowicz is. I felt that the school not only had let her down for not taking the proper precautions to prevent the assault, but every women for not taking the proper actions regarding consequences. To come out publicly with her assault and to deal with her pain by carrying a 50 pound mattress, not only allows her to see that she is supported by her peers, but it also serves as an example to other victims of assault on campus to know that they are not alone, and she is fighting not only for her own justice, but for the justice of others as well. I also found it very interesting that the mattress symbolized many different things.
ReplyDeleteThe article about the the #MeToo Campaign made me wonder a few things. Arguments that people who make “ mistakes" should not be sentenced all their life and I feel that someone who sexually abuses another person, goes to jail for it, and gets free, already has another opportunity and a fresh start. But the victim does not get a fresh start, they have to live with the trauma and pain for the rest of their life. They do not forget what happened to them, and many are still blamed for what they wore, or what they "did" to provoke the incident.
Chapter 2 in Burn speaks of the troubles women go through when they are sexually assaulted. They are forced into marriage, they are bought, they are killed, beaten, shamed, burned, humiliated, and exploited among other things. I learned that 1 Muslim man is equivalent to 2 Muslim women. When proving physical abuse 2 men have to be present or 2 women and a man. Even there, it is visible that women and men are nowhere near equal.
I believe the "Carry the Weight" article resonated with all of us because of the reality of the situation. I would be surprised if someone in either of our classes didn't know a female or a person of any gender who was sexually assaulted. In my eyes, carrying the mattress around her college campus was a strong statement. It's hard to miss a mattress. It doesn't surprise me that only a few stepped up to assist her in carrying the mattress. Often we are more focused on ourselves and not helping others. She needed help after her assault and wasn't able to receive it which, is an unfortunate truth of sexual assault.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading "What so many men are missing about #MeToo", I do believe that people are allowed to move on with their lives after paying the price for the terrible crime they committed . I'm not saying we should forget what they have done but in the case of Louis C.K., allow him to go back into comedy where all of his once fans will remember what he has done and not return to see him preform. After punishment of a crime I believe people are able to go back to their lives but we can make a change by not supporting them. The article states "If sexual discrimination and abuse are as common as women say they are, it’s a crisis" and I agree that it is a crisis.
I feel if we continue on this path of turning our backs to sexual assault we will regress to a society where normative rape is a part of our culture,if it isn't already. Chapter 2 page 31 of the Burn book states that normative rape is "rape promoted or allowed by a society" and with the statistics of 17.7 million American women being victims of attempted or completed sexual assault, Its had to believe that normative rape isn't already a part of our culture.
After reading the "Carry That Weight" article, I began to do a lot of thinking. I thought about how brave and strong Emma was to stand up for herself and to raise awareness on the issue of sexual assault in such a public manner. Sadly, a lot of women who are sexually assaulted / raped keep quiet about what happened. Women often keep quiet about assault for various reasons such as fear of being hurt further by her assaulter if she tells someone, or fear that people will not believe her. Emma's "Carry That Weight" project was extremely public and raised a ton of awareness on the issue. Emma is brave for carrying that mattress around her campus. The part of Emma's story that makes me extremely frustrated is that fact that her school did not kick Emma's assaulter out of school. This is very sad, especially when you think about how this is just one case and there are many males on college campuses around the world who have assaulted someone and have gotten away with it and are somehow still allowed to roam campus freely.
ReplyDeleteThe article about the #MeToo movement was also very thought-provoking. It frustrates me a lot that so many men just do not understand the movement and think that women are overreacting. When a woman is sexually assaulted, her entire life is impacted. Rape and other forms of sexual assault leave lasting impacts on the victim's mental health. After being raped, it is impossible for a woman to move on. Even if her assaulter is in jail, the woman will likely continue to feel the lasting mental impacts for the rest of her life. So no, I do not think that assaulters have the right to move on with their lives. They have ruined lives and they therefore must face the full consequences of their actions. Rape is NOT something that can ever be forgotten or forgiven.
Chapter 2 of the Burn book was also very enlightening. There was so much information in that chapter that I did not know about at all. The way in which women are treated in different places around the world was shocking and horrifying to read. The most alarming and terrifying problems that I learned about from reading the chapter were bride kidnapping in Kyrgyzstan and dowry violence. I felt absolutely disgusted while reading about this horrible treatment of women.
Reading the "Carry the weight" article, I was reminded me and made me aware once again of the power of political performance art and the substantial role it can play in giving someone a voice. Ms. Sulkowicz's persistence, bravery and perseverance are incredibly admirable and she is giving her issue a voice in the best and most effective way possible - through her art. Sadly, the issue of rape within higher educational institutions are not uncommon at all and are in several instances often covered up or carefully downplayed by the institutions themselves. It is disheartening to hear about so many situations where women are not able to get justice at the very institutions that are meant to teach our societies about the right thing to do in life. I hope that more women take measures like Emma’s impactful art and that we are able to establish an environment of safety at least on college campuses as immediately as possible.
ReplyDeleteThe “What so many men are missing about #MeToo” article also brought to light an issue that I have personally thought about out of rage. It is just as surprising to me as it is to the author of the article that our societies prioritize sympathizing with the abusers and assaulters rather than with the plights of women whose lives were held hostage in with threats of varying multitude. I think that men who are responsible for these incidents and crimes should be given the chance to enter back into the society after they have paid their dues for their crimes. But, I don’t think that this should be done as a case of sympathy involving the downgrading of the women who were the original victims of these disgraceful occurrences.
In the Burn book, a statistic that really shocked me was the mention of 17.7 million American women being victims of rape and/or assault. A relevant statistic also mentioned in the MeToo article was that 80% of women had experienced some form of sexual harassment or assault during the course of their life. If these aren’t an immediate sign to both men and women alike for the need for urgent reform, reeducation and reevaluation of our society, then I don’t really know what ever will be.
I have some very mixed feelings about these movements. On one hand, I am very proud of all these women for coming forward to get justice and to call to light such crimes against them, but I am horrified that they have had such things happen to them, when they should have clear justice immediately
ReplyDeleteIn the "Carry the Weight" art piece, the artist was very brave to speak up and use art to show, using symbols to convey her message. Her friend helping her is such a powerful symbol as well, because it shows we should support the victims in the way they need it. There is far too much victim blaming and tearing down those who need help.
The same can be said about the Me Too movement. They are truly brave for coming out to speak against people who have hurt them. They deserve respect and support, yet some people are always trying to cut them down. It hurts to know that these women were hurt and are still having people trying to blame them for their traumas. However, I think these women, and men, are amazing for putting themselves on the line for what they believe in.
I find it disturbing that issues like sexual harassment and rape are not situations that are immediately and appropriately addressed in our culture. Things like what I read in "Carry the Weight" emphasize that people all around us are willing to acknowledge that these terrible things happen in our world. We know it happens, we can face it's victims, but in most cases the systems we turn to for help in seeking justice can't or won't make movements toward change. It is heartbreaking to think that a victim of rape has to broadcast herself to the world to get people thinking about the issue and trying to manage it in an effective way. I have a lot of respect and admiration for women that are strong enough to tell their stories and defend their own movements for the sake of creating justice for other women out there in the world who may experience or have experienced similar things. But it still is incomprehensible to me that these are the measures that need to be taken in order for people to start addressing issues.
ReplyDeleteThe article on the #MeToo movement raised a lot of interesting questions for me. Should people like Louis C.K. be offered an opportunity to be forgiven for mistakes they have made? It's very hard to say. We have no way of knowing if a person is willing to recognize the error of their ways and make changes in their life. But I don't necessarily think it is effective to shun people for making those mistakes if they are able to admit that they were wrong. I have a lot of mixed feelings about things like this and I think it only becomes harder to come to some logical conclusion or solution with the more information we get every day. Constantly having allegations surfacing against public figures sheds a lot of light on how much of a crisis we are really dealing with, like the article mentions. But how can we do more to make improvements for the good of everyone is a difficult question to answer.
The "Carry the Weight" article does exactly as it is entitled; it places shared,figurative "weight" onto those readers who can read and relate, but also imposes it onto the ones who read and cannot relate (to the same extent). Personally, I have not experienced any unwanted attention/engagements that have left a profound, damaging impression on my psyche. However, this does not mean I cannot understand those feelings Emma Sulkowicz demonstrates through her interpretive art project and personal journey. Many of us probably held some form of reaction that supported her endeavor. Whether it was anger at the injustice, sympathy for her plight, or empowerment through her story, all are a result of some degree of empathy, a critical trait others lack. While Miss Sulkowicz's story was inspirational, I was moreso moved and grateful towards the author of the second article from Vox.
ReplyDeleteDavid Roberts. A man who embraces and seeks to understand the true messages intended to be conveyed by the women who are the foundation of the #MeToo movement. I will admit, upon first reading the introduction concerning CK's allowance for passive reintegration into society, I actually was in slight support (largely due to confusion as to the context of the article). Yet, after delving deeper into the article I was pleasantly surprised and uplifted by this Mr. Roberts. Here was a man who appeared to grasp, or made an effort to, the fundamental concepts that defined why these women are "so hysterical" over sympathies towards sexual abusers. What was most profound and inspiring to me was his efforts to place society on equal terms and view the world through a very different lens, one that gives appropriate power to the voices and opinions of women. He also attempts to levy the emotions tumulting among assaulted individuals across societal spectrums, hoping to offer a new understanding by placing naysayers into "another's shoes". It was just inciteful and motivating. It made me feel personally empowered to be recognized (among all women), by someone who gets it, who stands alongside us. He himself put on our shoes, stating that "We're still not taking this shit seriously" in reference to those men pitying CK, and detailing the significant differences within the spectrum of sexual assault "women are quite sensitive to . . . they rarely need them explained, by even the most well-intentioned man". This particular paragraph resonated strongly with me because yes, he is utterly and completely correct in my personal opinion, and he gets it.
These two articles were both disturbing as wells eye opening. As far as the "Carry That Weight" piece, while the fact that the university found the man not responsible is disgusting and frankly unbelievable, the art itself that came from such a traumatic event is beautifully symbolic. The rules that she sets for herself (i.e. She can't ask for help, but she can accept it) are chilling to think about, when you consider that these are the rules that women across the country follow when they carry the psychological weight of sexual assault or other instances of abuse around with them everywhere they go.
ReplyDeleteThe "#MeToo" article was incredibly interesting because of the other perspective it gave me. Obviously, as a male, I don't necessarily have a good perspective fora lot of the problems women face in todays world. While I am aware that sexual abuse takes place very day, the article gave me a much more complete idea of how difficult it can be to be a woman, and the totality of sexism and misogyny in America. These women deserve the respect that they would get if the were a male in their situation, and the men that commit these crimes deserve to serve time. Personally, I thought that the thought that women should be respected and treated just like any other person was common-place, or the standard. But this article clearly shows me otherwise, and it is disgusting.
With all this being said, it is safe to say that the United States is much closer to equality than some of the countries discussed in the Burn book. Honor killings, dowry violence and bride kidnappings just don't exist in the US, and thats something we can be proud of. But as close as we are to true equality, we aren't there yet.
ReplyDeleteThank to all for your interesting opinions!
I agree with most of you that we have different level of abuse in the world. But I think that our countries have approximately the same level.
In 2016 we had the # ImNotAfraidToSay company in FB and VK (Russian) social networks in Ukraine, Russia and other post-soviet countries. It was a very eye-opening sad stories about what is still occurring behind doors. Some famous women shared their stories about domestic violence, rape, sexual assault.
It had big resonance in our main Media. For example, Meduza wrote about this flash mob here https://meduza.io/en/feature/2016/07/08/the-woman-who-wasn-t-afraid-to-say-it (in English). I found 6 positive feedback about Flash mob in Media and 2 negative (the rest were neutral).
So our society begin to talk about this usually silent problems. But we still in the beginning of the process. One my student analyzed men’s comments about this Flash mob in social networks. He showed that negative comments about Flash mob and women are more dominated than positive in VK . FB comments are more neutral.
I think that this flashmob able to raise awareness of these very important issues in our culture.
Thanks Elena, I can't wit to show this to my class tomorrow and talk with you about it next Tuesday.
DeleteI found both of these articles helpful to bring attention to efforts women are making to speak out about sexual harassment and assault.I had not heard of Sulkowicz or her dedication to carry her mattress everywhere on campus in an effort protest sexual assault. I think carrying a mattress is so symbolic of the weight a person feels after being assaulted, and something that only someone who has dealt with those feelings can understand. I also believe that carrying a mattress is much more effective to get a point across than wearing something everyday or carrying something smaller. I also thought it was awesome that a man on his phone helped Sulkowicz bear the weight of the mattress for a few minutes. The phrasing of this made it sound like it was an instinctual reaction and something that this man did nonchalantly. It showed how there are allies in the world who can do small things to add to a greater whole.
ReplyDeleteI liked how the #metoo article was one written by a man, David Roberts, for other men to understand the weight of the movement and the reasoning behind it. I felt as though Robert did a good job explaining the greater message behind people's outrage at Louis C.K. comeback and how it effects everyday people. Many people who commit sexual harassment or assault are left with no consequences for their actions, yet their victims are left to bear the weight of their experience. I think this article was educational and easy to connect to for people who do not understand the #metoo movement and are looking for a greater understanding.
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DeleteThe New York Times' article about the Columbia University student was empowering. It was very bold of Emma Sulkowicz to carry around the mattress in protest because I know that I would feel a bit timid at first. It is very important for all people to follow her example and act this boldly for ideas they believe in. It was also a bit disturbing that the school took such minor action against the perpetrator in the situation since Columbia University's reputation leaves them with responsibility to set a high example of protecting rights in this country. This is very timely as I am currently planning my own senior thesis and am striving for my project to be powerfully impactful like Sulkowicz'.
ReplyDeleteThe article about the #metoo movement is grappling with a tricky situation. It is fair to allow attackers who have served their time to enter back into the world and restart their life, but there are a lot of negative components to this as well. My previous statement is only true if the individual's punishment was proportionate to their crime - although this determination will vary from person to person, so there will always be people who label as them 'bad' forever. This is also not clear because while some people change after their first offense and may never hurt another person again, others my not have changed and have the potential to cause more harm and should not be given the freedom and opportunities from society. The tricky part is, how do you know who has changed? Also, the survivors may encounter their attackers which could be very triggering and mentally dangerous. This risk is even higher when the attacker is a celebrity or in the public eye.
“Carry that Weight” is such a powerful piece of performance art. Emma Sulkowicz is so brave for not only being so vocal and open about her story, but also dealing with the criticism stemming from her carrying the mattress around campus. I think a big problem in our country is sexual assault or rape happening on college campuses and the colleges don’t do enough to support those who report what has happened to them. I can think of a couple examples off the top of my head where people that I know have had something terrible happen to them and they felt like their college didn’t listen to them or do enough to punish the perpetrator. I hope Emma Sulkowicz gets the justice she deserves and that her rapist is actually punished for what he did to her.
ReplyDeleteI think the #MeToo movement is doing a wonderful thing. Sexual assaults, harassments, or rapes are never okay and it takes a really sick kind of person to be able to do that to another person. The #MeToo movement is trying to spread awareness, it’s trying to let people know they aren’t alone, and it’s trying to stop these things from happening again. Louis C.K. is a sick person for what he did. He messed people up: their career goals, their sense of privacy and being in control of their bodies and lives, and even the way they think will probably never be the same again. It’s not enough to give a halfhearted apology because you’ve finally been caught. It’s not enough to step out of the spotlight for 9 months and then reappear like nothing ever happened. I’m not saying he should be killed or anything like that, but it’s not fair for him to go back to his normal life after nine months when the people he assaulted will never be the same.