The reading reminded me of this smithsonian article I read awhile back about the Hudson River Valley painters and the women who weren't recognized the article was from july 2010 when the work of these women was finally shown, here is the link to the article http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/The-Grand-Women-Artists-of-the-Hudson-River-School.html
Just started the Joan W. Scott reading and am a little stuck on the quote by Mary Wortley Montagu ("my only consolation for being of that gender...") To which gender was she referring and could someone please dissect that statement for me? I especially like the Fowler's definition given at the beginning of the reading describing gender as a grammatical term and something when spoken of in the feminine and masculine context is a "blunder." I had never thought of it that way before. Can't wait to read the rest!
It is interesting to read and contemplate the various conceptual perspectives on femininity. I am very grateful that the issues of gender are the core of the course, and not just slides.
Thus far on the readings, the issues of institutional sexism as well as what I would consider as social upbringing sexism, is very important to understanding what has trickled down through the ages and actually still exist as if impressions left on our social constructs from the mainstream acceptance from the past. Now that we have progressed passed the harsh reality of those "eras", we can begin to understand and face the many other forms of sexism and discrimination that are exercised today that we let slide. Such new issues as oppositional sexism versus traditional sexism and the discussions of gender, versus biological sex, versus sexual identity, can now be looked at even closer.
I have currently been reading "Whipping Girl: A Transwoman On Sexism and the Scapegoating of Femininity" by Julia Serano. Fits in nicely with the course. I would highly recommend this book, and it more than goes along with the topics for next week of gender and gender roles.
I found the discussion on lack of access for female artist something of resonance in how it relates even in today's society in relation to health and education for the disadvantaged. Poor health resulting from lack of access to nutritional options afforded to others. The undernourished mind.
I especially enjoyed this reading of the ones we have had so far because of its explanation of different interpretations of gender, a concept I have never fully understood. But the part I found most interesting was towards the end when she began discussing how the concept of gender can be applied to other types of power allocation. "...gender is a primary way of signifying relationships of power" (page 1069). Her statement that gender has been used to define such practices as colonization and dictatorship is both disturbing and seems to have truth to it.
If this statement is in fact true, then to me it seems like it will never be possible for our society to escape the idea of traditional gender rolls without redefining a multitude of other facets of our culture.
I Found a paragraph on 1058 pretty interesting when she is speaking of the different school of psychoanalysis and how they explain production and reproduction of the subject's gendered identity. Scott quotes Hegel as saying "male domination as the effect of men's desire to transcend their alienation from the means of reproduction of the species." reproduction could be one of the key reasons for patriarchy, in early patriarchle societies women had to breast feed until children could eat solid food without birth control of baby formula a women's life was limited by childbirth leading them to stay at home versus hunting, farming, and later on working ect.... thus is became normal for woman to stay home take care of children and do the rest of the domestic affairs although today we have many advances in childcare the traditional gender roles that have been formed over centuries are still embedded into our cultures.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThe reading reminded me of this smithsonian article I read awhile back about the Hudson River Valley painters and the women who weren't recognized the article was from july 2010 when the work of these women was finally shown, here is the link to the article http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/The-Grand-Women-Artists-of-the-Hudson-River-School.html
ReplyDeleteJust started the Joan W. Scott reading and am a little stuck on the quote by Mary Wortley Montagu ("my only consolation for being of that gender...") To which gender was she referring and could someone please dissect that statement for me? I especially like the Fowler's definition given at the beginning of the reading describing gender as a grammatical term and something when spoken of in the feminine and masculine context is a "blunder." I had never thought of it that way before. Can't wait to read the rest!
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting to read and contemplate the various conceptual perspectives on femininity. I am very grateful that the issues of gender are the core of the course, and not just slides.
ReplyDeleteThus far on the readings, the issues of institutional sexism as well as what I would consider as social upbringing sexism, is very important to understanding what has trickled down through the ages and actually still exist as if impressions left on our social constructs from the mainstream acceptance from the past. Now that we have progressed passed the harsh reality of those "eras", we can begin to understand and face the many other forms of sexism and discrimination that are exercised today that we let slide. Such new issues as oppositional sexism versus traditional sexism and the discussions of gender, versus biological sex, versus sexual identity, can now be looked at even closer.
I have currently been reading "Whipping Girl: A Transwoman On Sexism and the Scapegoating of Femininity" by Julia Serano. Fits in nicely with the course. I would highly recommend this book, and it more than goes along with the topics for next week of gender and gender roles.
I found the discussion on lack of access for female artist something of resonance in how it relates even in today's society in relation to health and education for the disadvantaged. Poor health resulting from lack of access to nutritional options afforded to others. The undernourished mind.
ReplyDeleteOn Joan W. Scott...
ReplyDeleteI especially enjoyed this reading of the ones we have had so far because of its explanation of different interpretations of gender, a concept I have never fully understood. But the part I found most interesting was towards the end when she began discussing how the concept of gender can be applied to other types of power allocation. "...gender is a primary way of signifying relationships of power" (page 1069). Her statement that gender has been used to define such practices as colonization and dictatorship is both disturbing and seems to have truth to it.
If this statement is in fact true, then to me it seems like it will never be possible for our society to escape the idea of traditional gender rolls without redefining a multitude of other facets of our culture.
I Found a paragraph on 1058 pretty interesting when she is speaking of the different school of psychoanalysis and how they explain production and reproduction of the subject's gendered identity. Scott quotes Hegel as saying "male domination as the effect of men's desire to transcend their alienation from the means of reproduction of the species." reproduction could be one of the key reasons for patriarchy, in early patriarchle societies women had to breast feed until children could eat solid food without birth control of baby formula a women's life was limited by childbirth leading them to stay at home versus hunting, farming, and later on working ect.... thus is became normal for woman to stay home take care of children and do the rest of the domestic affairs although today we have many advances in childcare the traditional gender roles that have been formed over centuries are still embedded into our cultures.
ReplyDelete