Conclusion

Thank you for taking the time to read all of my blogs!

Hope you enjoyed reading them as much as I enjoyed venting my opinion onto them!

Sex Education

Bill C44: I learned that there is a bill for anytime a teacher wants to discuss sex. Also that sexual education is not as helpful as it could be. If I was teaching a sex education class I would add the moral implications of engaging in sexual activity. I would make sure all students know that they should only engage in sexual activity after the age of 16, because this is when I feel they are mentally mature, and only when they are comfortable with that person and in love. There is no reason for 13 year old girls to be having sex just because all their classmates are doing it. I strongly believe it is an intimate experience that should only occur in a safe, loving, mutual environment.

I would also remove the teaching of male and female genitalia diagrams, because no child wants to know about the internal sex organs, or remembers it for longer than that course. Finally I would ensure they know about the safety precautions available if they do engage in sex. These include the varieties of condoms, as well as birth control and its proper usage.

F-Word I want to be a feminist!

Feminism. Is this something that we have all but forgotten and disregarded in Canada? Are our lives as females that equal to men in 2011? I think not! Until we have equal pay, and women as political figures, there is inequality. Why is it fair that men get paid more than women in jobs that require equal education level and skill? There are far more single women than single men, and it is inhuman that women are expected to raise children with less pay then men.

           

            Also when it comes to politics, women, for the most part, are calmer, level headed, and interested in dialogue then men are. Women understand that communication is important, and are also more empathetic to the nation’s problems. If women were in politics, I imagine world starvation and hunger rates to all but cease to exist.

           

            I will try to keep a completely equal classroom, free from gender biases in all subjects and on all assignments. I will take the stand and say I AM A FEMINIST!

Brene Brown

            I really enjoy and connect with Brene Brown’s speech showed in class. I tend to let myself be completely open, because I agree that taking chances is way better than living in fear. If you keep things bottled inside, chances are your feelings will never be expressed, and therefore never truly dealt with. If you are in love and never express that to your partner because of fear, then you might lose them anyways. I find that those people that are afraid of being wrong, and messing up, do not fulfill everything they dreamed of. If you cannot try new things, out of fear of failure, then you’ll never truly know if you could have been great.

            I also appreciated her thoughts on the ineffectiveness of using substances to numb emotional pain. It is very difficult to numb certain experiences of one’s life, without numbing every other experience. Many people think the only way to cure emotional pain is with substances, but what happens when they become sober again is an intense rushing back of these emotions, sometimes with more force than before. This is called repression; where memories and negative feelings are pushed to the back of the mind. Just because a memory isn’t at the front of your mind, does not mean this memory is gone. In my opinion the best way to deal with sadness and bad life events is to talk to someone that can help. Also I find exercising and sports to be very helpful in releasing stress and anxiety. I know these methods may not work for everyone, but I find them more proactive then partaking in substance abuse.

Conception, Pregnancy, and Childbirth

Teen Moms

      I would like to designate this blog to me ranting about teen moms. I have 3 points that I feel strongly about in regards to teen pregnancy. These include lack of money, lack of maturity, and lack of stability.

      Two teenagers that are attending high school cannot afford the costs of raising children, unless their parents are willing to completely support them. Secondly high school children are not mature enough to raise children. They want to be with their friends, and go partying, not be taking care of another life. It wasn't until my third year of college that I felt I was mature enough to raise children. You need to figure out your own life before you help mold a child. Lastly their is a lack of stability in teen mothers' lives. Teen mom's may or may not have a place to live, or space available for a baby. They also may not have a father for the child or know who the father is due to drunken hookups that have seen to become ever more popular among high schoolers. Children need two parents unless the mother has a stable income, housing, and time to give to that child. There are so many things that are completely uncertain when one is only sixteen, and it is not fair that a child should be brought into a world filled with unstable resources, housing, and relationships.

      A final reason against teen pregnancies include the pressures to be out partying with friends. It is very dangerous to be partying while pregnant and can have many life threatening effects on the infant. If anyone is to have a child it should be an expected pregnancy so any substances can be avoided, and it should be into a stable home.

Classification Models

Kinseys Continuum

      I did not realize that there were 6 different levels of homosexuality. I also find it interesting that there are very few if any individuals that are 100% homo or heterosexual. I would like to meet an individual who is completely asexual. Those who have no interest in either male or female. I wonder what outside factors, or life experiences caused this person to be completely asexual, and if it is a mental condition to have no attraction to anything. I feel as though this is a hormonal imbalance.

      I am a big supporter in freedom of rights, and these rights should include the right to be in love with whoever you want to be in love with. If it doesn't effect me in any way, why should I make an effort to stop it. Also gay people should be allowed to adopt everywhere in the world. There are plenty of unfit parents that are heterosexual, therefore homosexuals should be allowed the chance to raise children.

     

Brendan Burke

    I greatly appreciate Brendan Burke's contributions to the representation of gay men everywhere. It is very upsetting that he had to die so young. It was his destiny to make a huge difference in the world of sports. I do not think that every gay person in the NHL should come out of the closet, but it would aid in the acceptance of gay men worldwide. I think it would be extremely hard to admit to being gay in a sport that is known for being so manly in every way. There is no reason for people to judge others based on their sexual preference, it does not effect others in any way.

Communication Skills

       I never realized that communication about sex shows intimacy. It's a hard topic to openly discuss without some feelings of embarrassement. I am a very good communicator and am honest in all my relationships. Honesty is key, and can solve many problems more effectively than leaving words unsaid. Also many people have numerous mental issues from lack of communication. They bottle everything inside until one day it all comes out uncontrollably.

DeRomancifying

1. Social Exchange Theory- We want something and give something in exchange.
     I completely agree with this theory. If we did not want anything that a relationship entails, and if we had nothing to give to a relationship we would most likely find ourselves single. I have always found myself in need of a relationship, someone to share affection with. I am trying very hard to find myself happy with being single and to focus on things outside of a relationship, but I am too caring and loving to not have someone to give that too.

a) Rational Choice Theory- weighing pros and cons.
     I have only used this theory when i was considering ending a relationship. I would weigh out the pros and cons of being with that person, and determine if the cons are really worth my effort. Then I would make a decision to stay in a relationship or go my seperate way.
b) Subjective Cost Benefit Analysis- decide if person meets your needs.
     Recently I found myself in a relationship with a boy, and had to decide whether they met my needs. He was funny, athletic and caring, but had such a busy lifestyle that there was barely any time for me. I need to be around partners quite often to be content, and he was not meeting this need.

2. ABC(DE)/ George Levinger-
Phases in life-span of relationship.
Attraction, building, continuation, deterioration, and ending.
     The steps in this theory are found in almost every relationship, except arranged marriages. It all starts when we are attracted to an individual. Then we start to build a relationships with them; this continues until a period of deterioration where the couple may have doubts, or concerns about the relationship. They can either continue to work on it or end the relationship. I find most encounters to begin with an initial attraction, but this is not always the case. A few time I have found myself around a person for months before an attraction is present. It can be something they do, or say that makes me realize their attractiveness.

     A major issue I have is continuing a relationship after some deterioration occurs. I almost feel complete dispair and choose to end the relationship instead of fix it. This is something I need to work on if I am to have a relationship lasting longer than two years.

Infatuation vs Romantic Love

Infatuation- The intense absorption we feel for another, lots of passion.
Romantic Love- Idealized by our society, is a mature deeper attachment, and has a high degree of caring for another, is usually long term love.

   I find it is often hard to differentiate between infatuation and actual love. I recently was completely infatuated with this boy, and found it impossible to keep him off my mind. I thought this was love, but really was just an obsession caused by an encounter. I can use my knowledge now and be aware of when it is love, and when it is infatuation. I cannot use this in the classroom as far as I'm aware.

David Buss Idea on Attraction

                I agree with David Buss’ perspective on attraction; however I think it needs a little vamping up. In the past girls were in love with those strong men that could provide for the family. Presently that is the basis of our attraction but not the limits. Also we can add personality traits to choosing mates. These include humor, friendliness, respectfulness, and physical attraction. I strongly agree with the terms propinquity and reciprocity in choosing a mate. It would be nearly impossible to have a boyfriend that does not find you attractive, also long distance relationships never work in my experience. Unless both partners are equally busy and are secure enough with themselves it is very difficult to sustain a long distance relationship. I have never tried a long distance relationship because I am very needy and need lots of attention. I would also be worried about faithfulness while in this relationship, both of myself and of my partner.

Caster Semenya

            Upon hearing of the whole Caster Semenya debate I have formed a very strong opinion. I feel as though it is very important to find out whether or not Caster is male or female. It would not be such a serious debate if she wasn’t a world class athlete. The main concern is preserving the fairness for all competitors in the sport, and this is completely reasonable. She must understand that it is not us pressuring her to change; it is the concern of fairness.

Gender Challenges

 

I think Marilyn Manson is a very good example of someone who challenges gender. Whether it’s his extensive makeup, platform boots, or photo shoots that portray him as a girl there’s definitely something androgynous about this fellow. To build on this Marilyn writes poems, is a musician and is quite sadistic. Being known as the king of the devil, you have to expect some eccentricities. If someone was shown a photo of Marilyn and was unaware of him prior you might consider him a transvestite. He pushes boundaries in more way then his gender, especially with his provocative obscene videos. I don’t think his sexuality has anything to do with his portrayal of gender, he is completely heterosexual.

On the other hand females that challenge gender seem to all lesbians. These women are highly masculinised, and are the ultimate tom boys. These individuals have short boyish hair, and some have prominent cheek bones.

The views we have that determine whether people are masculine or feminine and gay or straight come from very early in life mainly in schools. We can prevent these ideologies by talking to our children and explaining the importance of not judging people based on looks.

Symposium

In the ancient times there was the idea of a primordial hermaphrodite which was introduced by Aristophanes. Primordial hermaphrodites were individuals that were both sexes. He uses this theory to explain attraction between mankind. At one time these individuals were split in two creating two separate beings; one male and one female or two males or two females. Now we are forever in a battle to rejoin with our other half. I love this theory and find it so extremely romantic.  Also we learned that a pseudo hermaphrodite is an individual with both the internal organs of one sex with the external sex organs of the other sex. I feel very bad for these individuals in western cultures because of the negative image that is correlated with hermaphrodites. I could not imagine living with this problem.

Gender Typing

Gender typing is the process of acquiring one's appropriate behaviors. The book describes 2 biological perspectives and 4 psychological perspectives. I agree most with the evolutionary perspective, and the social cognitive approach. It makes perfect sense that men nowadays yearn to be strong, and the protectors, and the providers, because in ancient times they were expected to do this.

I agree with the social cognitive theory because I learned the most by observing my mom and dad and how they act.  I also learned what not to do based on how my parents acted, therefore they modelled me into who, and who I do not want to become as an adult.

I disagree most with the Oedipus Rex complex. I find it very hard to believe that when I was younger I secretly wanted to have a penis. Also the idea that young boys unconsciously want to kill their fathers is absurd. When boys are young they love male attention and their dad’s are their biggest fans. Why would you want to kill your role model?

It is impossible for Freud to know what is going on in the unconscious mind, therefore any theory that he comes up with in regards to our unconscious cannot be disproven, because it cannot be proved.

Psychological Androgyny is something that I thought was much more rare then 1 in every 1000 people. I would like to know how these people deal with being a pseudo hermaphrodite and how their cognitive development works. I quite enjoy Socrates myth that at one point in time there were primordial hermaphrodites, and the reason men are attracted to women is their eternal desire is to rejoin.

Gender: A Social/ Cultural curriculum

                Gender is something that is learned from society and our culture. They are roles that we are assumed to perform, in order to be accepted in society. If these roles are not performed correctly people may become confused and neglect this individual. I completely agree that there are gender roles, yet as the years go by in western society the roles become less and less defined. Girls used to be expected to wear dresses and be homemakers that did everything their husbands said without question. Now only subtle differences are in place such as the topics that are appropriate for women to discuss. Also there is the double standard that men can sleep with whomever they want, which makes them cool, yet if women do this it makes them a whore or a floozy. I have often witnessed females being called names by men who do the same thing which is sleep around.

                Also we learned about Stereo types and sexism, I do not approve of stereo types or sexism. However there are assumptions that because at one time or even on one occasion a group of people did something, that every member of this group will always act this way. This is a part of life and as western society is becoming more multicultural, stereotypes and sexism are slowly becoming a thing of the past.

                Aggression as being equally possessed by both of the sexes does not come as surprising. When I was younger I was very aggressive, sometimes more aggressive then the boys. One time in middle school I threw a solid ice chunk at a boy’s head because he called me a name. If girls were rude enough or did horrible things to me I did not resort to talking instead I preferred to solve problems with my fists. I am not claiming that these methods were the most effective; however people seldom did cruel things to me for years after those fights.

Sexy Inc

From the video sexy inc. I have become aware of the pressure on young girls to be overly sexual and provocative. I have noticed this myself when I used to pick up my sister from middle school. Girls are becoming sexually active younger than ever before, and are thinking about image way to early. It is true that they have been robbed of their childhood.

I wasn’t even interested in sexual encounters until the age of 16, and my sister has been talking about her friends giving blow jobs since they were 12. To hear that even younger children are becoming sexually active scares me.

A child's mind isn’t even developed enough to understand sexual activity yet alone enjoy it at such a young age. It is scary and dangerous that young girls think it is normal to engage in these activities. I wish there were more programs out there that help inform girls at young ages the negative implications of being sexually active so early. If these programs existed hopefully they would understand that they don’t have to give away their bodies, because it is not a boy’s right to be sexually satisfied.

 My hope is that by the time I am a teacher girls are aware of self respect, and if not I will help to implement this in my classroom.

Sexual Response Variations

                David Reuben’s book was moralistic, homophobic, and looked at the broader sexual connections. It discussed Helen Kaplan, Rosemary Basson, and Sigmund Freud. I find it easiest to relate to Rosemary’s perspective on sexual relationships. She talks about intimacy and the value of long term relationships. However I think you need some intimacy to have a meaningful sexual experience. In my experience I find sexual encounters useless if they involve no intimacy, or affection, and I avoid these encounters because they are self destructive.

I find it hardest to relate to Sigmund Freud’s psycho sexual development theory. I do not think a clitoral orgasm is immature because the clitoris is the only part of the body designed specifically for pleasure. I also do not believe that women have penis envy at all. That doesn’t make any sense. If there is penis envy then there must also be vagina envy, and I doubt any guy would want a vagina unless he was transgendered.  Vaginas bleed and push out babies, and penises are just plain ugly.

Finally I think masturbation is a healthy part of being an adult and it is a release of built up tension as well as a sense of empowerment. If people had sex every time they were sexually frustrated the world would be very overpopulated.

Masters and Johnson

Masters and Johnson's 4 phase sexual response includes: excitement, plateau, orgasmic, and resolution. Throughout these stages men require a period of resolution and women do not. I also learned that blue balls are completely fictional. This makes me happy, knowing that my boyfriends won’t be in pain if they aren’t pleasured. I agree with these stages, because it logically makes sense. I can help students in my class by making sure they know that there is no such thing as blue balls, so they do not have to feel pressured to do stuff with boys when they aren’t ready.