Thursday, February 23, 2012

Blog #4 - Chapter 13 Question 1 Summary


Question 1 Responses

Question: On page 72, bell hooks states "Even in households where no adult male caregiver is present, women taught and teach children sexist thinking." What kind of sexist thinking do you think is being taught to children and how would feminist go about changing that? Also, why do you think a woman would teach her children sexist thinking? Or is it even intentional?

After reading responses from classmates, it seems like a majority of people agree that women unintentionally are teaching sexist thinking to their children. When women are single mothers, some think that school mates and the children’s’ friends are also teaching sexist thinking – through what is socially appropriate. Many hint on the fact that children are categorized: boys to be tough and dress like boys and girls to be dainty with dresses and feminine clothing.

Many feel that the nuclear family ideals form the 1950s are persisting to this day as well – women are categorized into being homemakers and the keeper of the children and men are to be the breadwinners and take care of chores. It seems to be the consensus that this idea of thinking is engrained into our brains with the help of popular media, so that is the reason that many women teach sexist thinking.
Changing this sexist thinking begins in the household and with the parents. The parent responsibility is to flip the script with gender roles, which can then affect communities, and then the world. Many feel like we are “sheep in a herd” where we follow what everyone else does, so to change thinking we have to change the masses.

References:
DeFrancisco, V. P., & Palczewski, C. H. (2007). Communicating gender diversity: A critical 
approach. Los Angeles, CA: SAGE Publications.

No comments:

Post a Comment