Hall of Fame

Anyone that knows me knows that I am very passionate about changing gender stereotypes.  I have even joked with my family that if I have a daughter one of her first sentences will be “stop trying to make me conform to gender stereotypes.”  So when I read an amazing blog post about a teacher in Wisconsin that is addressing gender stereotypes in her classroom, I knew that I had to share it. 

Fighting Gender Stereotypes

In this post, the writer initially becomes aware of gender stereotypes – and how extreme they can be – when she is having a daughter.  I loved when she said “I refused to make my baby daughter fit in the box that society had created for her.”  That is exactly how I feel. 

But she even took this a step further.  Instead of just raising children that are aware of – and do not need to conform to – gender stereotypes, she began addressing the issue in her classroom.  The lessons that she did with her 1^st grade students are simple and do not take much time.  They do, however, begin to challenging the ideas that her students have about gender.  Some may feel that 1^st grade is too young to start talking about gender stereotypes and gender nonconformity, but I would argue that it is the perfect age.  As is evident in this post, and by watching any kids playing, they already have very specific ideas about what is acceptable for boys and for girls.  These ideas, however, have not been solidified in their minds and these lessons will help them be more aware and think about the truth and validity behind the messages they receive. 

I can only imagine and dream for a world in which all of our children are taught these lessons at an early age.  I honestly feel that these would lead to gender equality and minimize the impact of so many gender-based issues.

Hall of Shame - PA Liquor Board

The Pennsylvania Liquor Board has received a lot of criticism for one of their recent advertisement.

The intention of the ad was to raise awareness of the link between alcohol and sexual assault.  Except what they actually did was place blame on the victims and their friends for the assaults that happen.  While victim-blaming happens all the time in our society, this ad and the message it sends is unacceptable.  Erin Gloria Ryan, a blogger from Jezebel, wrote "rape is not just a bad thing that happens to someone after drinking too much.  It is a deliberate act on the part of the rapist, a violation of another person committed solely because the rapist wanted to rape.  The sooner we acknowledge this, the sooner we'll be rid of stupid, finger wagging ads like these."

Maybe instead of spending time and money on victim-blaming ads like this, we should change the way our society responds to women that are victims of sexual assault after having been drinking.  So often a woman who has been drinking is not believed or is told that she probably just regrets the hook-up.  I know many women that I went to college with that were sexually assaulted when they were drunk and never reported it because they believed no one would believe them.  That is the real atrocity.

Hall of Shame - Women and HIV

While men still represent the majority of HIV and AIDS cases in the United States, women are accounting for an increasing share. 

·      In 1985, women represented 8% of AIDS diagnoses; by 2005 they accounted for 27%. 

·      Even more concerning is that HIV is the 5^th leading cause of death in women in the United States between the ages of 25-44.  It is likely that the majority of these women contracted HIV as an adolescent or young adult. 

Among certain female populations the statistics are even more concerning. 

·      Girls between the ages of 13-19, represented 43% of AIDS cases reported, while women ages 25+ represented 26% of AIDS cases. 

·      For African-American women ages 25-34, HIV is the leading cause of death.

·      In 2009, black/African American females made up 14% of the female population but accounted for an estimated 66% of diagnoses of HIV infection among females.

It is important to consider the ways that HIV/AIDS impact different populations and not rely on a one-size-fits-all prevention program.  Often for women, asking their partner to use protection is not an easy task because many relationships have a power imbalance.  If prevention programs only address the facts about HIV and encourage safe sex, then it will be useless for these women.  Prevention programs needed to be gender-specific and consider the ways in which gender roles and power impact relationships. 

Treatment for women living with HIV/AIDS also needs to be gender-specific because their demographics look different than those for men.

·      Nearly two-thirds (64%) had annual incomes below $10,000 compared to 41% of men

·      Research suggests that women with HIV face limited access to care and experience disparities in access, relative to men

·      Also many of these women have familial responsibilities that complicate the management of their illness, which results in poorer health.

All statistics are from: Kaiser Family Foundation