Week#6 Gender ,Cartoons,Television

So, these days whenever I have the TV on it is usually on the Nick Jr channel. My daughter has joined the ranks of preschoolers that loves Dora the Explorer, Go, Diego, Go, and The Backyardigans, and recently added to the list is Kai-lan. Many of have you have commented on gender messages that you have seen in sitcoms or drama series like Sex in the City or Grey's Anatomy. How about cartoons? What are your thoughts about the gender messages that are coming through these shows? And, how have these messages changed from when you were a child and watched cartoons? Recently, even Sesame Street introduced a new female character named AbbyCadabby after years of male characters moving to Sesame Street. Dora is an explorer, and with her side kick Boots the monkey they take on adventures! My daughter is learning a lot of words and images, music from this show but what messages about gender? Dora isn't the sidekick but leads the adventures. She figures things out and solves problems as her famous line at the end of the show says "we did it". Kai-lan is another female lead. I watch her as she watches these shows and I am wondering what is she really learning here. What messages about how to think, act, behavior is she absorbing? I like the idea of female leads in these shows as I never had cartoons or really any children's programming when I was a child. (Actuallly, Sesame Street didn't come into existence until I was about 12 y ears old. So, do you think cartoons are adhering to gender stereotypes or are we breaking new ground? What are the words, dress and other nonverbals seen in these characters? How about the storylines? Many women have remarked in journal entries and posts that you weren't allowed to play rough in "boy" play when you were younger. Dora climbs mountains, swings from ropes, and jumps over alligators, and even rides on the backs of dolphins! she dresses in shorts but has a little bracelet on. Wears sneakers but wears clothes that are purple (girl) and orange(boy).
Do you think cartoons are early messages to our preschoolers about gender? If so, what are these messages.

Week #4 Should gender be a consideration for adoption?

Hi Everyone,

So, I don't advertise this information but, my daughter was adopted. I adopted her after years of unsuccessfully having a biological child. I bring this topic up in our blog discussion to look at a gender issue that exists currently in adoption. One of the things that I came across was the selectiveness of adoption agencies and adoption websites. There are certain agencies and websites that will not take on gay couples as clients. They limit their services strictly to heterosexual couples only. I used a wonderful agency and they acted as agents for all couples, even singles. The website that I used to advertise was strictly for heterosexual couples. It was through their website that I built webpages and found my daughter. (It was the world wide web but, our birthmother lived in the same county!)

There were websites that were not selective and all people regardless of race, sex, age, maritial status were allowed to advertise their web pages. And, there were websites that strictly were used by gay couples. It was interesting as I read the profiles of the gay couples how long they had been committed to each other. Many were career oriented, and had interesting hobbies and travel experiences, etc. So, their biggest flaw was their marital status? Was it because they were unmarried or was it because they were gay? Or, both? (They also did not take on single parents either.)

Another interesting note: I would check back on the websites of gay couples and often, times, I would see that they found a child faster than my husband and I or, were back looking for a second couple. The stereotypes on gay couples adopting is still a strongly a negative one from my experience, and yet, I have witnessed many gay couples finding parenthood.

One of the things that upset me most through the process were people's expectations and stereotypes. My husband and I are more about what we feel and think and love than our outer exterior. A child knows no color, or sex, or race only love. They have no predetermined stereotypes and respond to being loved. Shouldn't the guideline be how much love you have to give and one's capability to nuture a baby into a kind, loving, responsible adult be the priority when adopting?

Week #3 Post

Hi Everyone,

Please continue to post your own ideas and applications of gender studies to your blog. There were some very creative application made last week. You incorporated such areas of your work and family life in addition to recoginizing it in television and the news. It is nice to see many of you connecting gender communication to your personal lives. I would be curious to read your thoughts when it comes to the music that you listen to, or even to a movie. Anybody going to see Sex in the City the movie? What gender expecatations does it create or violate when it comes to the norm? Or, could the music that you listen to be applied to an concept in our text? Or, how about in your own decisionmaking and/or discussions? Are you recognizing your learned gender patterns as the basis of your own communication? Keep up the discourse with one another and try to stretch yourself to find new areas of your life to apply gender as a means of self-discovery to your gender communication patterns.

Week #2 Posting

Hi, Everyone,

You must now come up with your own post this week. You must post to your own blog. Be creative with your ideas as gender issues are in our daily life. Start applying our course to your daily existence.

Create your own post. Then, during the week comment to at least one other post from a student in our section. Click on the box below the reply box to send a copy to yourself. If you are still having trouble with finding this box, then, copy your reply and go back to your blog and post it there yourself.

All postings and replies are due this Friday. I will go to each student's blog and should find all your posts and replies on your blog.

It was a frustrating week for some of you, but good job in hanging in there! I think the business class blogs where we share our daily gender issues will add a nice slant to our studies in gender.

Prof.M's Week #1 Business Class Post

Mother's Day is it only for women?

Yesterday I celebrated my second Mother's Day. And, I reflected on the language of the word Mother. Are mothers only woman? And, are they only woman related to the child or children? I went to a buy a card for the wonderful woman who watches my daughter while I am at R.U. teaching and it wasn't easy to find a card. I finally found a card that said something about being a caregiver. This woman loves my child and "mothers" my daughter while I am not there. It made me think of all those men that stay home and "mother" the child and same sex couples and grandparents that have taken over the role of raising or loving a child or children during the day. Where are their cards? We have seen terms to describe partners in relationships over the years grow and change, such as "significant other" or "relational partner" or instead of marriage, terms such as "committted relationship" or "monogamous relationship". Is there another word that we can use to describe all the wonderful people whether men or women, whether biologically related or not, that love and help raise children? I reflected on how my gender identity ties in to my role of a mother. Our family does adhere to the culturally based definitions of a mother being a woman and a father being a male. Our roles are tied to the masculine and feminine sterotypcial qualities of a mother and father which maybe perpetuates the cultural definition of each of these roles? I know that when I go outside the stereotypcial definition of what it means to be a "good mom", I feel as though I have failed as a mom or feel guilty that I have let my daughter down. If I had another term like parental caretaker would I have different expecations and a different self view of how well I was raising my daughter? Would she grow up and develop a self view that says she is more than just her feminine characteristics? I will ponder on this idea for awhile. What are your thoughts? What life experience have you seen or experienced this week that illustrates a gender issue in your life?

Creating Practice Posts

Hi, GND311-

Be sure to go to blogger.com and follow the easy instructions to gain a sign on and password that you will use to post. Email me if you have problelms. Please do not use your last name when signing posts. Stick to your first name only and a last letter intial.

Prof.M

Please review how to make a blog.

Practice Post

Welcome!

This is a practice post to help get you started in posting on the our blog. We will be commenting on gender issues in our society weekly. You are required to post by Wednesday and reply to a least one post by Friday.

There have been several interesting newsmakers surrounding gender issues over the last few weeks. For instance, how about the recent story reported on Oprah about the first pregnant man. Check out a clip of the story of the first pregnant man . What are your thoughts on transgender and pregnancy? Thomas now a 32 year old man, was once a woman. He is now happily married to a woman and pregnant What implications does this have to society’s definition of childbirth, and family?

Check out the clip and practice posting any time now before class starts.
Any problems-email me.
Prof.M

Welcome to Gender and Communication Summer 1

Hi, Everyone!

Welcome to Gender and Communication (GND-311). We will be using this blog to contribute to our course discussions in Class Business. Class Business boards will be begin on Monday through Friday. Students must post once during the week and one reply is required to this discussion but notice will be taken to those who choose to post replies more often. Posts and replies due by the end of the day each Friday.

Class business will allow us to notice some of the many ways gender issues surface in the world in which we live. There is never enough time to include all of the interesting topics that arise from studying gender and communication. “Class business” will allow us to consider more of the ways gender issues pop up in our lives and experiences. As the course progresses, we will all be more aware of the power of gender and the prevalence of gender stereotypes. Readings, television programs, advertisements, classroom experiences, and our interactions with others, all provide fertile ground for material for “class business.” Please be willing to bring in examples for discussion. This discussion board encourages us to notice issues of communication gender and culture in the world around them. It allow students to extend the course beyond topics in the textbook and syllabus and relate theory and research to real life.

The world is our classroom to observe, question and discuss in these posts. Please critique and post your viewpoint/comments with your example.