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Week 2 - Gender Roles



I always knew they existed, but until today I never really gave much thought to the gender roles that society has so greatly influenced. There always has been, and I believe always will be, the stereotype that women belong in a domestic domain, cooking and cleaning while the men bring home the money. In my mind, the idea that this stereotype could be a reality belongs in the 1950’s. My family was so far from this ‘ideal’, my father does all the cooking in the family and my mother went back to work full time when I began pre-school.

After discussing the topic in todays lecture and tutorial, I have been constantly reflecting on my childhood trying to find the slightest implication of socially constructed gender roles which I, until today, believed to be completely absent from my family.

A quote from Simone de Beauvoir stuck with me today

“One is not born a woman, but becomes one”.
When it was mentioned that in toy stores the ‘girls aisle’ is a sea of pink, shelves lined with fairy costumes, dolls, play kitchens and cleaning tools, I began thinking about my own collection of toys. I recall it being filled with Barbie dolls and Cabbage Patch Kids, and don’t get me wrong, I loved playing with them, but now I am wondering why are those the only types of toys I owned? I remember always feeling jealous when I had a play date with a friend who had a brother and wanting to play with their toy cars, but I can’t remember ever asking my parents to buy toy cars for myself.

Did a socially constructed gender role influence the opinions of my four-year-old self?
Simone de Beauvoir was a brilliant woman, but this question of mine has me questioning the previous statement of hers.

I love wearing make-up and high heels. I love styling my hair and going shopping. I love cooking, and some may say I can get a bit overbearing when it comes to cleaning. Do I only have these interests because when I was four it was ‘socially correct’ for me to play with dolls instead of trucks? I really don’t know what my opinion is yet, but I am looking forward to finding out!

Week 3 - Women in the Media

This weeks lecture wasn’t the first time I had heard about Walt Disney movies and the influence they supposedly have on children.

I have read countless articles about how Disney promote ‘poor morals’ and how ‘social constructs portrayed in these movies negatively influence children’. To be completely honest, I think statements like those are ridiculous.

My only exemption is Snow White. I’m sure many feminists wouldn’t be impressed with the way Snow White is portrayed, only ever cooking and cleaning, looking after seven men. But really, this movie was made in the 1930’s, I think we have progressed a bit since then…

I understand how people see stereotypes in these movies, the princess is always a beautiful damsel in distress who gets the man of her dreams who is charming, rich and good looking.

But someone, please show me a four-year-old that would notice this? These movies are aimed at young children, who have got no idea what feminism, social constructs or stereotypes are.

All children want to see is a happy ending, the princess marrying the prince, the evil villain to be punished and a happily ever after.

Of course there is a subliminal message to each Disney movie, they try to teach kids something, but I think some people have read a little too far into the story and have come up with messages like

“It’s okay for you to be with a man who molests you in your sleep” (Sleeping Beauty)
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I don’t know about anyone else, but those last two seem a bit far-fetched to me.

There were subtle messages in all of those Disney movies, but more along the lines of, ‘Be yourself’, ‘True beauty comes from within’, ‘Dreams can come true’, and ‘Stand up for what you believe’.

I don’t know why some people have to ruin the Disney magic claiming these movies corrupt children. To me, these people are just kill-joys, let the happily ever after be and enjoy the story!

Week 4 - All before I'm 30?



Life Plan 1. Finish High School 2. Get a University Degree 3. Start a Career 4. Meet Man of my Dreams 5. Buy a House 6. Get Married 7. Start Making Babies 8. Turn 30

The whole way through high school, and only up until about a year ago, this is how I had pictured my life to progress. Now, I am definitely not naïve enough to think this was **EXACTLY** how it was all going to play out (#4 and #5 were interchangeable), but I thought this is what I had wanted my life to be like.

It was only a short while ago that I began second guessing myself, and this weeks lecture got my mind wandering again. I know a few women who for different reasons had their first children in their forties. I always thought ‘I do NOT want to be approaching my 60’s when my first kid is finishing high school’.

But then I look back at the check list I made when I was sixteen and think ‘How naïve was I? I have only given myself 13 years to become an almighty, married, successful, career driven, home owning, baby making machine!’

I am currently 3 years into the 13 I have allowed to fulfill my life goals and am only halfway through #2… needless to say, I have done a bit of re-evaluating.

New life plan 1. Finish High School 2. Get a University Degree 3. …

I’m not really sure how I feel about the uncertainty of this new plan, I like structure, but I also love freedom!

I love the idea that it is totally acceptable to start a family in your 30’s or 40’s, with or without a partner. It just shows how much society has progressed. The ability for a woman to choose how her life will go is exciting, we should be able to make important life decisions for ourselves!

Week 5 - The Fashion Industry... where do we begin? If we have a code of conduct for what is shown on television and in movies, why isnt there one for images created by the fashion industry.

I know that on advertisements for mascara products (where they always use fake eyelashes, come on! No ones eyelashes look like that with just a bit of mascara) they have to put a disclaimer on advising that ‘enhancements have been used’. Although somehow, I always seem to miss it on the screen, maybe because it is in size -12 font right down in the corner where no one can read it.

Why is there no code enforcing a disclaimer on images endorsed in the fashion industry?

CAUTION: UNREALISTIC BODY TYPE SHOWN. SORRY LADIES, YOU WILL NEVER LOOK LIKE THIS!

Before a news story that might have some graphic images, there is always the warning statement, “these images may be shocking and cause distress”.

Why doesn’t an image like this get one of those, this looks pretty distressing to me, and probably 90% of women everywhere.



All I think, ‘how does these women look like this, and why don’t I?’

I know it is a ridiculous and pathetic thought but it is the natural conditioned response in current society. And who do we have to thank for that, the fashion industry, bless their cotton (sorry) cashmere socks, destroying the self esteem of women everywhere, since forever.

Week 6 - Medical or Non-Medical? The birthing process to me has always been something that is natural. Our bodies have naturally conceived a child and nutured their existence up until they are born. I never really thought of the possibility of two completely opposite theories of pregnancy //medical// and //non-medical.//

I honestly had no idea how clinical pregnancy and childbirth has been presented to society. Pregnancy is not a condition, it is a natural body process. The fact that women can now access medical treatments to make childbirth ‘easier’ is truly amazing in regards to the advancement in medical technology, but why are these treatments now seen as almost a neccessity, warranting the concept that the current generation of new mothers are ‘too posh to push’.

If our bodies couldn’t naturally cope with pregnancy and childbirth, they wouldn’t have the ability to fall pregnant. Think about women 30 years ago, medications were available, but certainly not common. Of course some women for medical reasons, or for the safety of themselves and their baby cannot birth their child naturally, so the medical theory of pregnancy is warranted. There needs to be balance between the two theories of medical and non-medical pregnany. Medical attention is obviously important for monitoring the safety of both mother and baby during the nine months of pregnancy. As it was said in the lecture, defining pregnancy as a medical condition or problem may cause worse outcomes than if pregnancy was not labelled in this way.

Week Seven - Women and Work One thing that angers me around the topic of women, children and work, is the pay difference between a male and female doing the exact same job. Why should it be that someone’s chromosomes are indicative of how much money they will earn for having a certain role in the work place.

It is ridiculous, a woman with the same qualifications and experience in the same role as man will earn approximately 17 per cent less, reported the Workplace Gender Equality Agency. I find it so hard to believe that this modern society we live could be so medieval, especially because so many people still believe a woman should look after the children and home.

Women have worked just as hard, if not harder to get to the top, with the journey made more difficult by children, housework and social pressures to be great at it all. And you know what, most of us are!

I continue to realise throughout this unit, and it still doesn’t cease to amaze me how narrow minded and stereotypical gender roles in our current society are. It has been a tough fight for women, and gaining and maintaining equality in pays in the workplace is just another battle that we will tackle head on.

In the wise words of Beyoncé, “We’re smart enough to make these millions, Strong enough to bear the children, Then get back to business”

Week Eight - Domestic Violence Domestic Violence is something that I have heard a bit about since I started studying Public Health, and this week was the second time I have watched the TED talk by Leslie Steiner Morgan on domestic violence. One thing that is said in her talk is something that I believe should be acknowledged. Domestic Violence is known as a ‘Women’s Issue’. Why?

I understand that domestic violence is an issue; it is a very important topic that needs to be discussed, because so often it is silent. But I don’t agree that this is a women’s issue.

In my opinion, by labelling DV a women’s issue, it insinuates that women have a problem, and that they are to blame.

Another TED talk I recently watched shares the same viewpoint as myself. Jackson Katz argues that DV is a men’s issue. He demonstrates how in current society, we unconsciously ask the wrong questions. As Leslie Steiner Morgan said, the biggest question is, ‘Why does she stay?’. Both Katz and Steiner Morgan agree, the answer to this question is not simple, but Katz believes this is the wrong question to be asking.

I completely agree with Katz, we need to move away from questions such as ‘why does she stay?’ or ‘why doesn’t’ she just leave?’, these questions imply that DV is the victims fault. We should ask questions that pinpoint the perpetrator, ‘why does he beat her?’, ‘why do so many men abuse women that they claim to love?’, ‘what is going on with men?’.

Jackson Katz TED talk: []

Week Ten - Healthy Ageing of Women I found it so interesting discovering just how much my actions throughout my young life will effect me when I am older.

I know that the lifestyle choices I make now will effect my health in the short term, but I really was unaware at how much my life as an older women will be effected by what I do right now.

The ageing population that we now see across the country is representative of the advanced information and services we have acess to but it is still important to maintain our health as young people.

With the majority of leading causes of death in women being lifestyle diseases which are preventable, it is more important than ever that young women understand just how influencial their health behaviours as young people are.

I found this lecture so insightful, I am now so much more conscience of the decisions I make in my health behaviours.

Week Twelve - Mental Health and Substance Abuse I have seen my friends do it, not to an extreme state, but I was unaware that there was an actual name for it.

‘Drunkorexia’ is the act of disordered eating before consuming alcohol.

Sometimes if you are short on cash, you are going out for the night and want to get drunk, you eat less to get drunk quicker. Mainly my friends motives are based purely on a financial perspective or body image issues.

Alcohol is expensive and buying drinks to consume before you go out is a much cheaper option than purhasing drinks at an establishment.

It is not rare for me to hear my friends say that they don’t want to be bloated when they head out. This often results in the lack of food consumption so that they can continue drinking without that bloated feeling.

With the plethora of information telling us how harmful binge drinking is, I often wonder why some girls continue with this kind of behaviour. As this topic was included in the mental health and substance abuse lecture, it really got me thinking about how this issue of ‘drunkorexia’ is a mental health issue, as it seems to be fueled by body image issues.

To me this just shows how important it is, that when looking at health, we encompass mind and body as the two effect each other so greatly!

Week Thirteen - Women's Health across the Globe

I know this lecture was focussed on Women’s Health around the world but the health inequalities within Australian women really astounded me. Australian Health Promotion initiatives need to take into account the difference in health status amongst Australians.

The facts have always been available, lower socio-economic status is an indicator of poor education, occupation, income and area of residence. All of these factors are in turn indicators of poorer health status.

It is so interesting that Health Promotion programs are effective on individuals of higher socio-economic status, when those of lower socio-economic status are the peeople who are more at risk of preventable health issues and require the services of health promotion the most.

Health promotion programs need to address the gap in health status so that people of all socio-economic status are able to benefit from the initiatives. It is so important to understand where health gaps need to be addressed and how to properly tailor a health promotion program to meet the needs of the specific target group.

Hopefully if the gap in womens health within Australia can be closed with appropriate health promotion programs, then the same principles can be applied to other populations with similar demographics and problems and eventually drastically improve the health of women globally.