Blog 5

I have watched the movie Iron Jawed Angels in another course in college and it is a depiction of the women’s suffragist movement as done by white women.  The focus on white women was noted by viewers as seen in a comment on the clip stating “women of color were actively excluded in first wave feminism, and the story of black suffragists is all but absent from this film”.  The Help clip is centered more on early struggles of the civil rights movement when black women were still not viewed as equals.  One can argue that even today black women are not portrayed as equals.  The media has helped create a culture in which members of our society believe black women act more like the characters in the first clip I have included rather than the second.


Evolution of perspective can be seen in our generation today in focusing on current social issues.  Each generation hears what previous ones have said and done and then alters these messages.  Currently, our generation is challenging many of these long-lived perspective issues, allowing people to speak more freely on their stances.  This can be openly seen through generation changes in voting trends.  Younger generations have become increasingly more democratic, showing a larger interest in promoting for all individuals no matter what race, ethnicity, sex, gender, or sexual orientation.  I think this is a positive change for it is important for individuals to recognize not everyone is the same but that does not mean they deserve differential treatment.

Male aggression is something that is brushed off far too frequently in our society.  Domestic violence has many triggers but the aim to maintain a patriarchical household is often the primary motivator.  Today, men are often responsible for items which at one time were considered strictly feminine tasks.  These tasks include washing dishes, doing laundry, and caring for children.  Although in some households the stereotypical gender roles hold true, more often than not there is some type of fusion within a household.  Pent up frustration with their actual life versus the one society envisions them to have can be a motivator for this male domination.  I think this is often overlooked in society because of the negative connotations that come along with being labeled a feminine male.