Sunday, November 21, 2010
Power
"If humanity is to evolve beyond the propensity toward violence...then it can only do so by recognizing the extent to which the patriarchal code of honor and shame generates and obligates male violence" (Steinem). I thought that it was interesting how both Steinem and Enloe presented the idea of violence in terms of it being about a power struggle. Steinem makes the point that what the media is focusing on as the major issues surrounding violence in schools, is not actually presenting the entire story. For example, when referring to the the Columbine shootings, the teens sexuality nor gender was of much attention because they were what is considered to be the "norm" (Steinem). But if on the other hand they had been homosexual or females, the story would have had a totally different twist to it rather than the one that we heard in the media. Similarly, Enloe, notes that society is able to mold the behaviors of its citizens by labeling actions in certain ways. The way that people act should be in such a way to better their country. If an offensive act occurs and is conducted by a fellow member of their country, the incident should not be reported, but if on the other hand reporting the sexual assault incident would benefit their country then it should be reported (Enloe). Additionally Enloe deals with idea of silence, which I think can be related to a numerous amount of women's issues even today. She choose though to tackle the issue of sexual assault. The idea that women need to be "respectable" is what kept them oppressed for so long. A women was considered less respectable and therefore less marriageable if she had been a victim of assault, which lead to her silence after the incident. However, we learn through "A Letter To My Students: Stop Rape Now By Doing These Ten Things" that silence is the last action a women who was a victim of sexual assault should take. In this blog, the reader is encouraged to take action to not only respond correctly to a sexual assault incident, but how to band together, as women and men, in preventing them from occurring on college campuses. I thought that this blog was important for us all to read to because sexual assault is more prevalent on Colgate's campus than most of us know, or choose to know. It is definitely an issue that needs to be talked about so that people can become more aware and active in their prevention.
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"She should keep quiet for the sake of the 'nation'" (Enloe, 81). Speaking out in public was "to risk her respectability". I am a little confused. I thought speaking out saying what one believes is a sign of respect. I guess i am mistaken. I guess women aren't as capable as men at speaking or being well respected. After reading both Enloe's chapter and the blog to Wesleyan College, I gained a new understanding for the silencing that goes on, especially in a woman's life. Without us even being aware of it, we are silenced-- we can be silenced in every facet of life. But how much do we really think about this? In class, at lunch, out on a date, etc. And I think what we have to understand is that women ARE respected. they ARE valued. I think that the blog about sexual abuse on college campuses is important for everyone, even men to understand. Something as traumatizing as rape, should never be dealt with lightly. It's not something to be laughed about and it surely isn't something a friend or peer should question. What we can do for each other is continue spreading the awareness and allowing women not to feel silenced, but to feel like they are an important part of our society.
ReplyDeleteWhy is is that the media seems to "disappear" when women or even men of a non-white race commit these same acts of sexual assault? Why is the attention always put on the white well-off men? I think this is another way of putting/keeping men in power and silencing women. And we are making heroes out of these men who commit these horrible crimes. But as women, we can feel empowered to stop them. It all starts by putting the topic out there on the table. Rape and sexual assault happen. And it's not isolated cases; it's everywhere. Once it's out in the open, we can start to assess the situation at hand. The ten things that students can do provided great leeway and examples of how we as students can stop these crimes. I think we could even implement them here at Colgate.
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