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Week 2: Women’s Amazing Bodies - how they work and what happens when they don’t

The first time I had ever heard of female circumcision was through the book, Dessert Flower. However in this book the ordeal is first mentioned as a women’s right of passage so to speak, which many young girls look forward to making their transition into a woman. Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) involves the removal or partial removal of the female genitals or other injury to the female genital organs. This is done with the intent of inhibiting a woman’s sexual feelings. There are differing degrees of the procedure depending on the region in which it is carried out. Genital mutilation still occurs in many cultures around the world with the highest area affected being Somalia with 98% of women. Change is taking place and many groups exist to stop the procedure occurring. Somalia has recently banned FMG under its new constitution. There are multiple groups which are activists for reducing the occurrence and supporting those affected by FGM. The author of the book Desert Flower, Waris Dirie, has since established a foundation to create public awareness and to support the victims of FMG. Below is a link to a commercial for the “Hello Flow” period preparation company. []

This commercial popped up in my facebook news feed and I found it very interesting. I’m not sure if it was just my experience but at the age of starting my period, no one was really that excited about it and everyone I knew viewed it as something disgusting and taboo. Girls and guys I went to school with called it “rags” and I have never appreciated this term. I find this term to be derogatory and I hated that other girls used it, why is it disgusting when it is just an indication that our body is fertile? This is a part of life for all women. Because it was so taboo neither my friends nor I ever discussed or received help when we started going through our periods. This ad incorporates a much better social acceptance of periods. I enjoyed this ad because the girls openly discussed their periods and were happy to receive information about it instead of being naive about what their bodies were going through. I appreciate that they want to change the current outlook young women have when starting their periods.

(Child Info – Unicef: Prevalence of FGM) [] (Desert Flower Foundation) [] (Eradication of FGM in Somalia) [] (Activists Laud Ban on FGM) []

Week 3: Women in Popular culture, advertising, and the media – implications for the social inequalities and women’s health

The first time that I REALLY realised the consequences of women and advertising in the media and its effects on popular culture was after watching the documentary: “Killing us softly”. I can’t remember exactly how I got onto it but I know it was after a Health Culture and Society lecture. After watching it I realised that even though I thought I could resist the pressures and influences of advertising, I had been a victim and even enjoyed the role which I had been forced into. This documentary (which can be found below) examples the impact of advertising and the effect it has had on society. Women throughout the ages have been subjected to an image, which has created the ideal women and what should be expected of her. The advertisements don’t just stop there; their images create an idealised expectation of the lifestyle and the conduct in which women ‘should’ be endlessly striving for. For me, I found from this that above all, women are sexualised constantly and in more ways than I thought possible. Advertisements with violent images and submissive women, I never realised the influence this could have on popular culture.

@http://vimeo.com/73446465

Mona Lisa Smile- there is a section in this movie where the lecture (Julia Roberts) of an art history class, presents a different type of lecture to her students. This is a great summery of how popular culture can be affected by advertisements. The slides which she presents are a representation of the attitudes towards women in this era. Although women do have more freedom and rights now, I can’t help but think that not too much has changed. Women are still represented in this way and perhaps it is worse, as the author of “Killing us Softly”Jean Kilbourne has dealt with an array of women’s topics in advertising including: So even though we have more rights perhaps we can relate the progress of women in advertisements to the slide in Mona Lisa Smile “A girdle – to set you free”. What does that mean? []
 * Advertising & Addiction
 * Advertising & Obesity
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Connection & Disconnection in Food Advertising
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Advertising & the Obsession with Thinness
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Selling Addictions to Women
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Women & Smoking
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Advertising & the Corruption of Relationships

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Week 4: The ‘Right’ time to have a child - changes in reproductive trends and outcomes for women

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I was excited about this week's main theme as women's reproductive rights have been, up until recently, nonexistent, and I was interested in learning more about why and what's changed. The restriction on a woman’s freedom of choice over her womb decreases autonomy and leads to poor and harmful decision making. This is seen in countries that have stringent anti abortion laws. Like with illicit substances, if people really want something then they will find a way. The problem being that if these "back alley" practices are not regulated or monitored then there is no guarantee for their people’s safety and they suffer.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It was really interesting to see how one medical breakthrough, i.e the pill, has done so much for gender equality by allowing women to have control over their womb and giving them the decision of if and or when they want to have a child. Because women now have this choice, they have become able to postpone creating a family for the sake of furthering their ambitions.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Finally I was outraged upon hearing Tony Abbott's comments as I would like to have thought an educated person with the role of minister for health would base policy on proven facts instead of conjecture and personal opinions; this also made me nervous as a person with an important role in politics and uninformed, harmful opinions may impede on a lot of people's rights and diminish recent efforts at gender equality.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Week 5: The fashion industry and body image - impact on women’s health

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Global Democracy, in 2011, produced a video, of an attractive but normal looking female model posing for a shoot. Initially makeup and hair extensions are applied to the model, then lighting is set and the shoot is taken. However in the 20 seconds that follow photo shoot, the original image is subjected to a heavy amount of airbrushing. The models eyes are widened, legs and arms lengthened, skin tone lightened, and stomach and buttocks are toned and tucked. This process turns a realistically attractive woman into an unrealistic mannequin. This campaign was designed with the purpose of highlighting the unrealistic portrayal of female beauty in fashion and encourages mandatory disclaimers when advertisements manipulate body image. For ages models have been airbrushed to appear more desirable to the public in order to sell. This campaign wishes to sell ownership of the unrealistic images which companies, in particular the fashion industry, are producing constantly. Photoshopped images create an unattainable ideal woman that many members of the public strive for. The most desirable woman in the world today has been created by advertisement. She does not exist, although women and men all over the world are trying to be her or find her. []

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Because of the fashion industry and the unrealistic images of beauty being produced, many women seek plastic surgery to attain their desired appearance. Plastic surgery is common amongst celebrities, and due to their wide recognition, this is often seen by the public as endorsement. Whilst celebrities are also attempting to attain this unrealistic idea of beauty, which the fashion industry produced, it is promoting the idea of body modification to the public. This is evident as more people every year, and younger people, undergo a variety of plastic surgeries from rhinoplasty and breast augmentation to liposuction and botox. Plastic surgeons never need bother advertising; the fashion industry does it for them. In Australia alone $1 billion was spent on cosmetic surgery in 2011 demonstrating that this industry deeply imbedded in our culture. []

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Week 6: Having a baby - a women’s health perspective

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Although “The Business of Being Born” is an American documentary, I feel it coincides with Yvette’s lecture, regarding the processes of child birth, quite well. This documentary focuses on child birth as a service in the 21st century, detailing the overbearing role of medical practitioners and the need for the use of more midwives and less intervention during childbirth in America.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Australia may not be at the same extreme as America, but still, approximately 97% of all births are performed in a hospital and only 29% of births are delivered without medical assistance (Miller et al, 2012). The documentary continues in describing how America has created a blanket regimen for all undergoing child birth, regardless of personal circumstances. This regimen is a step by step process undertaken to ensure the safety of the child being born. The nurses featured appear to only have knowledge of the step by step process, with no ability to deviate. As a result many women featured in the documentary end up having to have a caesarean section regardless of their personal preferences. The amount of women in this documentary having a caesarean section is comparable to the percentage of women having caesarean sections in Australian private hospitals. The concern with this is that women’s autonomy of her pregnancy is being removed and unknowingly given to a medical practitioner who spends little time deciding what is best for the patient versus what is easiest for the practice. Medical interventions are becoming increasingly more prevalent throughout Australia. Whilst we are not yet at the same degree of intervention as America, steps should be taken to refocus the process of child birth so that it is more personable and focuses on the wants and desires of the women giving birth.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Week 7: Changing Gender Roles in Families - Paid Work, House Work, and Child-Raising

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Over the past century women’s rights and gender equality have made significant strides in Australia and in many cases equality is the law. Whilst gender equality in the workforce has progressed it is still upsetting that on average Australian women on average earn 17.5% less than their male counterparts []. In contrast to this article women in these fields are receiving higher pays than their male counterparts, possibly due to legislative requirements to meet quotas, and thus are in high demand [].

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I was watching ABC’s Q&A the other night, and women happened to be a reoccurring theme for questioning. One of the questions a woman asked related to women or caregivers not staying at home to look after the children due to work commitments. Whilst this debate was happening a viewer (obviously male) tweeted along the lines of “if I could get paid leave to have a holiday for 6mnths I would”. This made me feel quite annoyed as this viewer obviously felt as if women were getting off easy and that raising a child would be a holiday. Clearly this viewer was not aware that Australia has developed its gender roles and men are entitled paternal leave for “their holiday” as well. As a university student I have always considered my profession a priority and would not necessarily want to sacrifice my current goals in order to raise a child, however I feel that the responsibility of raising a child should be shared between both parental figures, and that my work commitments would be no less important than my partner’s.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Below is an article leading to poet Hollie McNish’s poem entitled “Embarrassed”. This spoken word poem talks about the usually negative public reaction to breastfeeding in public. Whilst not illegal, many women are shunned, outed, scrutinised and requested to vacate premises when they attempt to feed their child in the most natural way possible. I agree with Hollie that it is upsetting to think, that in a world filled with highly sexualised images, people would get angry over a little bit of flesh. []

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Other interesting links surrounding women’s rights and sexism in the workforce:
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Week 8: Walking into the doors - families and domestic violence

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Whilst this is a subject completely relating to women’s health, Jackson Katz makes a very interesting point when he says “violence against women, it’s a men’s issue”.[]. Earlier this year at a TED talk, Jackson discussed the nature of domestic violence and the relaxed attitude of many people. Instead of focussing on the perpetrator, victim blaming is often used by a variety of authoritative figures as an excuse or reason as to why women receive abuse. However this wrongly suggests that women are the only factor to be changed and that the male’s actions should not be examined and modified. Because of this victim blaming and the complex nature of the abuse cycle, victims often end up blaming themselves due to the cycle repeating and the women receiving further abuse.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Following the gang rape of a student in New Dheli, India last year, several female Indian celebrities got together to create the following video []. The video humorously ridicules the pathetic excuses that authoritative figures had previously made against the student and often use against others to demean women who have been sexually or physically assaulted. India’s culture discriminates between the genders, victim blames, and applies minimal penalties towards offenders. As a result the system of abuse perpetuates creating more victims. Fortunately, Australia’s authorities take domestic violence and abuse against women seriously, but as a society, men and women still need to act together to examine what they can personally do to prevent the cycle from continuing.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Week 9: Indigenous women

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As most of Australia is aware that there is a life expectancy gap between the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders compared to the general population of Australia. But interestingly there is also a gap within Infant mortality between the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders compared to the general population of Australia. Infant mortality rates have always been an issue for this population and although there has been a significant decrease in the rates there still remain a significant gap. This stark difference in health care could be explained by the population’s ability to access health services as they experience lower levels of access, partly due to location, socioeconomic status, availability of transport and their ability to speak English. The increase in infant mortality rates can be attributed to injury and poisoning, respiratory diseases and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). The Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders are a young population; this is largely due to higher fertility rates. Fertility rates for teenage women are 4 x greater than compared to the general Australian population.

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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2008) <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Whilst the Indigenous population reported higher rates of alcohol consumption in the previous week than the rest of the population (23% and 17% respectively) the Indigenous population of students who reported never having had a drink was higher than the population overall (27% and 22% respectively). I found this very interesting it could be demonstrating that as some Indigenous communities are able to manage alcohol well and others not so well. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2012). A picture of Australian's children 2012. Canberra: AIHW

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Week 10: Healthy aging of women – taking this week off <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">An interesting article I read: Understanding women's chronic pain []

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Week 11: Women’s health in same-sex relationships – taking this week off

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Week 12: Mental health and substance abuse in women <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">What I found very interesting about this lecture was that substance abuse and mental health were covered at the same time. So often mental health is reported separately and I think I never really considered the degree in which these two themes go hand in hand with each other before. I always pictured women as those who suffer from mental health separately to those who abuse substances. Growing up I never witnessed my mother drinking, and she rarely touches alcohol, contrastingly I observed the opposite behaviour in my dad. My mother had a lot of stresses, which on reflection would have made her much more prone to drinking versus my father, however as I never saw her drink alcohol even when she was particular distressed, I never associated mental health concerns with substance abuse. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Although I had seen people miss meals before going out to go drinking, I never realised that there was a medical term for this behaviour or that this was a growing problem for women’s health. This behaviour of missing meals before drinking alcohol is quite reckless, as the alcohol is able to get into the blood stream faster and thus the effects are much greater. This leads to increased reckless behaviour and an increased risk of hospitalisation for alcohol related medical problems.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Week 13: International women’s health

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It has taken me just about all semester to read Half the Sky, although I have thoroughly enjoyed reading it, I did find it too sad and emotional to read all at once. I had NO idea about some of the stories reported in the book and didn’t realise that slavery was still happening to this extent. I was interested to find out that a great deal of marriage is considered slavery, and it makes complete sense, I had realised that rights had been taken away but I just never made the connection to slavery before. In many countries it is acceptable for girls to marry at a young age, so that the family can trade for a commodity. The article below reports a young girl dying after her marriage night as she suffered from internal injuries. Other girls in the book are raped and then forced to marry their rapist to preserve their virtue. Young girls are being trafficked at an astonishing rate and the book focuses on the girls who were able to overcome their imposition, but for so many others the cruelty continues. A link below is to a video regarding a young girl who has overcome sex trafficking. So many stories like this don’t get reported and the world is in many regards naive and oblivious to this severity of the issue. When I tried bringing this subject up with my partner he ask that we didn’t talk about it and that its too upsetting to hear what is going on. This of course is not dealing with the issue at hand and denying all these people the attention in which they need to overcome this in equality. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Coincidentally while I was on my way to Woolworths in Kelvin Grove I was approached by a lovely stranger who enlightened me to know that if I donate to his charity, Care, I would not be just helping one woman but 4. He explained that women are amazing (well, he had me there) and that when one women is given aid to overcome poverty she brings four others with her! As a women’s health student this seemed like the perfect charity for me! This charity focuses its aid on women as it is a very rewarding investment. Some of the figures from their site: <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[]
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Of the world’s poorest people, 70 per cent are women and girls.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">One in seven girls in a developing country will marry before her 15th birthday.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Women produce 90 per cent of the world’s food, but own 1 per cent of its farmland.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When women earn an income, they reinvest 90 per cent in their families.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">For every year a girl spends in school she raises her family income by 20 per cent.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Yemen: 8yr old dies on marriage night from internal injuries <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[] <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">If You've Ever Wondered What Happens To Kids After They're Rescued From Sex Trafficking, Watch This <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">[]