bashoGWSS1

Before I started this class I thought I new about a portion of subjects in relation to women’s rights and the hierarchy in our Western culture, however, I had much to learn. I am a female college student living in a house with six male roommates from my hometown. I believe that by living and interacting with men on an everyday basis veiled me from realizing how oppressed women are in our society. I will use this class to not only remind me to step out to try to overcome social norms, hierarchies, and the +5 system that our culture creates but also to explain to my roommates and make them realize how important it is to treat women with respect. The guys I live with are very polite but I want to constantly remind them respect women sexually, intellectually, and emotionally. I learned, especially from the oppression piece, that men think they are trying exceptionally hard to overcome sexism, but in fact it is continually occurring. I have to admit that after taking this class I have turned into, what my roommates call a little more stubborn. I now resent some of their comments when commercials with “sexy women� on them or even how some of them still think they do not have to take care of children or cook their own meals. I am so surprised at the new things I learned. I thought I new the basics on gender and race when really I didn’t even touch the surface. This class has opened my eyes to a variety of issues not only concerning women in American cultures but from cultures around the world as well. Thank you for making me realize how controlled our world is. I will try to break away from the norm to change the system of patriarchy in our culture.