Having Class vs. Social Class

After blogging my first post about the study on social class, I found defining social class as something that is seen externally by many but I wanted to find more information.  I was pleased to come across a video posted on the Oprah website.  This video had multiple women share their knowledge of social class, and I learned that many of them disagreed with basing social class on appearance similar to me.  One woman shared that she is no longer in the upper class, although many would consider her with disregard to her current unemployment status.  They continued to share thoughts on defining social class on your looks, education, and wealth.  One lady shared her thoughts of social class being different than having class and being a gracious person, something I find vitally important.  Watch the video and see if you agree or disagree with these women.

Social Class and Unethical Behaviour

I was interested to read current news articles referring to social class.  I came across a study online that examined social class in relation to unethical behaviour.  The article stated that it will “reveal something the well off may not want to hear” and inquires at the top of the page “come on, before you read the article, which one...”(Which social class is more likely to behave unethically, 2012).  Results indicated that individuals among those in the upper class are more likely to conduct unethical behaviour.  I thought that this was interesting to see.  I also thought that though this was a university study conducted by psychological scholars, there are racist and stereotypical inferences made.  I found it odd that they thought it was necessary to state that we were going to find something we did not want to hear making me think that they assume something I would want to hear is that low class citizens are the ones behaving unethically.  I thought it was interesting as well to see what it was they defined as high or low class citizens.  They conduct multiple studies but one of the ways to categorizing high class citizens was solely by the car they were driving.  I find this was a very limited perspective to judging people on a topic that is relatable to their identity and how to world views them.

Work Cited

Which social class is more likely to behave unethically. (2012) In Kansas city infozine. Retrieved on March 2, 2012 from http://www.infozine.com/news/infozine/50934.html

 

What's Love Got To Do With It?

Based on this week’s in class presentation on Love, I started to think about the three topics analyzed.  The girls in class considered same sex relationships, polygamy, and interracial/cultural couples.  I came across a webpage sharing the upset of gay couples in terms of Kim Kardashian’s 72 day marriage to Kris Humphries.  I personally find Kim a poor role model to young girls and feel as though her marriage was a publicity stunt in order to gain more attention.  Homosexuals are arguing that what is ruining the constitution of marriage are not same sex couples, it is, for lack of better term, idiots like Kim and Kris who are trivializing the sanctity the union of marriage represents for those who believe in it.  I agree with this and feel that I would much prefer seeing an in love gay couple take a chance at marriage than a heterosexual couple engaged in a marriage for juvenile reasons.  This article outlines the same sex argument, but responds by saying that those against gay marriage would feel that it is both same sex marriage and quick divorce cheapening the institution.  They justify that a gay marriage could end just as quickly.  I understand the articles perspective, but I feel that in this instance, same sex couples have a valid point.  Although same sex marriage shares the same possibility of ending quickly – a public multi-million dollar reality television show wedding, only to end 72 days later is the problem with marriage, not an in love same sex couple trying to make it work. 

What do you think?

Social Roles

I wrote previously about how I was raised as a feminine female and Lady Gaga’s influence on the transgendered.  I searched further online and found an interesting site, that although out-dated I still found relevant on the social roles of men and women today.  I came across sentences that read, “It is not enough for a man to be male; he also has to appear masculine. A woman, in addition to being female, must also be feminine” (Haeberle, 1983).  I found this really helped encapsulated everything I wanted to share in this blog, please follow the above link to further your understanding as well.

Image retrieved from Fashion Loves Film blog.

Works Cited

Haeberle, E.J. (1983). The social roles of men and women. In The sex atlas.Retrieved February 10, 2012, from http://www2.hu-berlin.de/sexology/ATLAS_EN/html/the_social_roles_of_men_and_wo.html

Accepting Transgender

In today’s society, a great level of awareness has been put towards masculine and feminine roles as well as the grey area in between.  Often times there is a little more complexity to the concept of a man being strong and aggressive showing masculine traits and a women being delicate, in need of rescue and representing feminine features relating to Susan Faludi's concept.  Growing up I was raised as a girl to dress in the signature girl colour pink and to be independent although behave ‘appropriately’ feminine.  A current icon, that I have much respect, for has provided a lot of attention on the roles of gender at times when it is not so black-and-white.

The link attached shares the story of a young transgendered teen whose life was saved by her idol, Gaga.

http://digitaljournal.com/article/318766

Works Cited

John, A. (2012). Lady gaga inspires transgendered teen to live as female. In Digital Journal. Retrieved February 9, 2012, from http://digitaljournal.com/article/318766

Masculine Males & Feminine Females

Considering this week’s topic of masculine and feminine roles I examined myself and those closest to me.  My first step was to compare myself to my boyfriend.  Instantly, I thought it was funny to see that I used my boyfriend’s sex as a man in order to examine his gender and masculine characteristics while comparing it to my own feminine characteristics.  I found this demonstrates that although I have been educated in the meaning of sex and gender, I continue to pair men with masculine and women with feminine, though there can be masculine woman and feminine men.   While making descriptions I define him as strong, straightforward, aggressive, funny, mischievous, and driven.  In turn, I feel that I am understanding, caring, shy, accepting, funny, and nurturing.  I then decided to consider my parents relationship and feel that my dad fit the similar description of my boyfriend, and my mother the same as myself.  Furthermore, I examined some of my favourite movies.  Twilight features two lead males and one female who scene to scene is the damsel in distress, weak and in need of their rescue.  I then looked at Disney movies which have great influence on North American youth.  Often there was a weak, white female in need of rescuing from a strong male in order to live happily ever after; both Shrek and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs are examples of this.

Representing Womanhood

In recent months there has been a lot of news coverage about a Muslim father killing his 3 daughters for their adoption of the Western lifestyle.  This case not only shows religious diversity, but also gender diversity.  The father viewed his daughters as family embarrassment and misrepresenting Muslim women, including wearing make-up, and taking what was considered racy photos as dishonouring his family and the role women are supposed to take.  This  link shares the full story.