Monday, February 8, 2010

Assignment: Research Paper Prompts, Pt. I


Madonna - What it feels like for a girl
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Here are the first four prompts you may choose from for your research paper. We will discuss the final four prompts this Wednesday.

Female Empowerment Songs
In 1964, Leslie Gore’s reminded men everywhere that “you don’t own me.” In 1978, Gloria Gaynor emerged from a break-up with the mantra: “I will survive.” In 1995, Alanis Morissette declared to her former lover that “every time I scratch my nails down someone else's back, I hope you feel it.” Female pop, rock, and now hip-hop, artists have a long tradition of using their medium as a platform for female empowerment. Sometimes subtly, sometimes aggressively, many women have publicly taken men to task through music. Trace the history of female-centered songs from the 1950’s through today. Identify and examine a minimum of four female empowerment songs from different decades. In doing so, consider the social environment in America during these times. What was the mood of the country at the times of these songs and were these songs a reaction to those times?

The History of Hair in America
Hair is often overlooked as a major indicator of cultural norms, but from Samson and Delilah to Repunzel to hippies, it has left its mark on many societies. Why have hairstyles made such a statement throughout American history? For example, what are some of the ways we have used hair to both oppress one another and declare individual freedom? Have the rules for hair been different for women than for men? And how have American attitudes toward hair mirrored those of the world and how have they been different? Examine the historical significance of hair in America.

Homosexuals in the Military
Conventional wisdom in the United States has long held that homosexuality is incompatible with military service. Yet other nations, including many of our allies, have little or no restrictions on homosexuals in the military. What should be the place of homosexuals in our armed forces? Are they, as some argue, destructive to institutional morale? Or is the practice of banning homosexuals discriminatory and hypocritical? Likewise, in light of two concurrent wars, is the policy of “Don’t ask, don’t tell” (DADT) still merited? And now that President Obama has called for DADT’s repeal, where does the fight over gay service members shift to? Examining both sides, evaluate the issue of homosexuals in the US military.

The Impact of Title IX in Women's Sports
Reading: "No person in the U.S. shall, on the basis of sex be excluded from participation in, or denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving federal aid," Title IX has, among other things, revolutionized women’s roles in sports. But what was it like for female athletes prior to Title IX? How was Title IX brought to fruition? And what has been the impact of Title IX at the collegiate and professional levels of sports? Would the likes of the Williams Sisters, Cynthia Cooper, and Mia Hamm have been possible without it? What challenges do female athletes still face, and how is Title IX threatened today? Examine the history and future of this landmark law.

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Tebow Ad Falls Short of the Hype



Sponsored by Focus on the Family, the antiabortion message takes an understated approach, though some criticize Tim Tebow's 'tackle' of his mother, Pam.


By Robin Abcarian, The Los Angeles Times
February 8, 2010Boy tackles mom. That was about it.

The ad that made former Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow and his mother, Pam, the unintended stars of Super Bowl XLIV was not a screed against abortion. Nor was it a heartwarming story about a mother ignoring doctors' advice and having her baby.

It was, instead, a lighthearted take on a mother-son relationship.

In the ad, Pam Tebow holds a baby photo of Tim, now 22.

"I call him my miracle baby," she says. "He almost didn't make it into this world. . . . you know, with all our family's been through, we have to be tough."

Suddenly, she appears to be tackled and flies off-screen.

"Timmy!" she scolds, popping back up. "I'm trying to tell our story here!"

Tim joins her and apologizes. "You still worry about me, Mom?"

"Well, yeah," says Pam Tebow. "You're not nearly as tough as I am."

The tagline, "Celebrate Family. Celebrate Life," directs viewers to the website of the sponsor, Focus on the Family, the Colorado-based evangelical Christian organization. The ad was posted there: www.focusonthefamily.com "> www.focusonthefamily.com .

In the two weeks leading up to Sunday's game, the ad had been the subject of furious debate. Groups supporting abortion rights -- including NOW and NARAL Pro-Choice America -- condemned CBS for accepting the ad, the first political ad the network has accepted for a Super Bowl broadcast.

Some anger persisted after the ad aired.

NOW president Terry O'Neill said it glorified violence against women. "I am blown away at the celebration of the violence against women in it," she said. "That's what comes across to me even more strongly than the anti-abortion message. I myself am a survivor of domestic violence, and I don't find it charming. I think CBS should be ashamed of itself."

Not all abortion-rights supporters agreed. "It's absurd to claim that this is an endorsement of violence against women," said Frances Kissling, former president of Catholics for Choice. "These people came across as affectionate, loving, funny and happy."

But, Kissling said, Focus on the Family was lucky that abortion-rights groups raised objections. "If there had not been all of that publicity over the last two weeks, this ad could have passed almost unnoticed. Who would have known what they're talking about? It's so subtle."

Abortion foes said they were delighted with the way the ad turned out.

"What you see is the increasing sophistication of the pro-life movement," said Charmaine Yoest, president of Americans United for Life. "Focus on the Family has really been strategic. They went with the old adage 'less is more,' and they put a positive message out there."

Likewise, Marjorie Dannenfelser of the Susan B. Anthony List, which supports candidates who oppose abortion, was pleased.

"Wow, this is so benign," she said. "It's a story of a mother's strength. That is the message that I saw. "

Tebow's parents were living in the Philippines as missionaries when Pam Tebow contracted amoebic dysentery, then learned she was pregnant with Tim, her fifth child. Doctors told her that her placenta had detached from her uterine wall -- a condition known as placental abruption -- and recommended that she abort her fetus.

Complications from a placental abruption can include the death of the fetus and the mother.

But Tebow gave birth to a healthy son after spending the last two months of her pregnancy on bedrest. In 2007, he became the first sophomore to win the Heisman trophy.

AFA Moms Group Protests "Predatory" A/X Campaign Featuring "Scantily Dressed" Gay and Straight Couples


 

Week 3



He felt now that he was not simply close to her, but that
he did not know where he ended and she began.

—Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina

Week 3
M 2.8
READ: CR—“Talk in the Intimate Relationship: His and Hers” by Deborah Tannen, “Libation as Liberation?” by Barbara Ehrenreich, “Red Sex, Blue Sex” by Margaret Talbot; PT, p. 77-102
IN-CLASS: Essay discussion; Lecture—“Steps of the Writing Process, Pt. I”; Preview—Research Paper

W 2.10
READ: CR—“War Stories” by Tobias Wolff, “The Backlash Against Circumcision” by Jeninne Lee-St. John, “The Men We Carry in Our Minds” by Scott Russell Sanders; PT, p. 103-132
IN-CLASS: Reading discussion; Sample PowerPoint presentation; Presentation sign-ups; Lecture—“Steps of the Writing Process, Pt. II”
DUE: Journal 1

UPCOMING:

Week 4
M 2.15
NO CLASS—Furlough Day (University-wide)

W 2.17
READ: CR—“Being a Man” by Paul Theroux, “Taking Off the Gender Straightjacket” by William S. Pollack, “The Myth About Boys” by David Von Drehle, “Three Fathers” by Kevin Sweeney, “The Problem with Boys” by Tom Chiarella, “The Amazing Tale of the High School Quarterback Turned Lesbian Filmmaker” by Rick Moody; PT, p. 133-192
IN-CLASS: Reading discussion; Lecture—“Steps of the Writing Process, Pt. III”

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Planned Parenthood, Athletes Respond to Tebow Super Bowl Ad



Two former professional athletes are calling for the "respect of women's choices" in response to the upcoming Super Bowl advertisement featuring the pro-life birth story of college football standout Tim Tebow.


FOX News
Thursday, Feb. 43, 2010

The YouTube video, released by Planned Parenthood, features Olympic gold medalist Al Joyner and former NFL player Sean James. While James says he "respects and honors Mrs. Tebow's decision," every woman's decision must be "valued … trusted and respected."

"My mom showed me that women are strong and wise," James says in the advertisement. "She taught me that only women can make the best decisions about their health and their future."

In a statement accompanying the video, Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards said Tebow's story was "compelling," but added that every woman must be able to make important medical decisions for herself and her family.

"The Tebow story underlines what Planned Parenthood has learned from the millions of women doctors and nurses at its health centers have cared for over nearly a century," Richards' statement read. "Women take decisions about their health very seriously. They consider their doctors’ advice, they talk with their loved ones and people they trust, including religious leaders, and they carefully weigh all considerations before making the best decision for themselves and their families."

Joyner, meanwhile, said he trusts his daughter to "take care of herself" during the Planned Parenthood video.

"My daughter will always be my little girl," Joyner says. "But I am proud everyday as I watch her grow up to be her own person, a smart, confident young woman. I trust her to take care of herself. We celebrate families by supporting our mothers, by supporting our daughters. By trusting women."

Richards said Focus on the Family, the organization that paid for Tebow's 30-second advertisement to run on Sunday, is "far outside the mainstream" of American life.


Monday, February 1, 2010

Journal 1: The Rise of Bromances



One interesting phenomenon over the past decade has been the rise of so-called "bromances," intimate, but non-sexual, relationships between men. Affectionate male bonding has a centuries-long tradition around the world, yet American society has generally drawn rigid lines between two males who are friends. Bromances are said to break down many of those barriers, allowing a man to be more expressive of both his own feelings and his feelings toward his friend. Just why American male friendships are seemingly more open these days is up to debate. Some argue these bonds have been shaped by everything from feminist mothers raising more emotionally open sons to the gay rights movement to younger generations of men simply breaking from old societal taboos. But are younger men today really more open to intimate male friendships? Is this truly a new phenomenon or have men always been free to express themselves emotionally with other men? For this journal, explore the phenomenon of bromances.

Include at least one of the following pieces in your discussion:
  • "Are You in a Bromance? (Or Is It Just a Man Crush?)" (Details Magazine)
  • "Bromances Aren't Uncommon as Guys Delay Marriage" (The Seattle Times)
  • "I Love You, Man (as a Friend)" (The New York Times)
  • "The Collective Mind: Affectionate Men" (SFGate.com)
Articles are located in the eR.

Due: Wednesday, Feb. 10

Sunday, January 31, 2010

Week 2



The old theory was: Marry an older man because they're more mature.
But the new theory is: Men don't mature. Marry a younger one.

—Rita Rudner

Week 2

M 2.1
READ: TP, p. 3-42
IN-CLASS: Introductions

W 2.3
READ: TP, 43-76
IN-CLASS: Diagnostic essay

UPCOMING:

Week 3
M 2.8
READ: CR—“Talk in the Intimate Relationship: His and Hers” by Deborah Tannen, “Libation as Liberation?” by Barbara Ehrenreich, “Red Sex, Blue Sex” by Margaret Talbot; PT, p. 77-102
IN-CLASS: Essay discussion; Lecture—“Steps of the Writing Process, Pt. I”; Preview—Research Paper

W 2.10
READ: CR—“War Stories” by Tobias Wolff, “The Backlash Against Circumcision” by Jeninne Lee-St. John, “The Men We Carry in Our Minds” by Scott Russell Sanders; PT, p. 103-132
IN-CLASS: Reading discussion; Sample PowerPoint presentation; Presentation sign-ups; Lecture—“Steps of the Writing Process, Pt. II”
DUE: Journal 1